Robert Quinn at the Pro Bowl. Feb 6, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFC outside linebacker Robert Quinn of the Chicago Bears (94) during the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NFLBy Matt Clapp on

The Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles made an eye-opening trade on Wednesday, less than a week before the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline.

Chicago is sending three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Quinn to Philadelphia in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo adds that the Bears “will be picking up most of the remaining salary for Robert Quinn.” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones is hearing the same: “I’m told the Bears paid a significant portion of the remainder of Quinn’s 2022 salary for the trade to go through.”

Update: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Bears “are paying $7.1 million of Robert Quinn’s remaining base salary this season.”

Quinn, 32, is one of the most accomplished pass-rushers in NFL history. He had a ridiculous 18.5 sacks in his age-31 season with Chicago in 2021, which went a long way to proving that he was not on the severe decline many evaluators feared he was after a quiet 2020 season (after he had signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Bears ahead of the 2020 season). It was his fifth career double-digit sack season; he topped out at 19 sacks — and NFL-best 23 tackles for loss — with the then-St. Louis Rams in 2013.

It’s been a quiet 2022 season so far statistically for Quinn, who’s registered just one sack. But he’s drawn plenty of attention from opposing offenses and should be freed up to be more productive on an Eagles defense that has been one of the top units in the NFL this season. Additionally, perhaps he’ll be rejuvenated as part of an unbeaten team that’s the NFC favorite.

So, it’s a move that makes plenty of sense for an Eagles team that’s aiming for the Super Bowl. And it’s a move that makes plenty of sense for the rebuilding Bears. General manager Ryan Poles and the Bears were likely willing to pay much of Quinn’s remaining 2022 salary in order to get an upgraded draft pick, and Chicago is in an *excellent* situation with its cap space in 2023.

Getting a fourth-round pick back for a player that wasn’t going to be part of their next contending team is a win for the Bears. Now, that doesn’t mean the Chicago locker room is going to feel the same way, of course, and star linebacker Roquan Smith was particularly disappointed by the news.

Here’s a peek at how the NFL world is reacting to the Bears trading Quinn to the Eagles:

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

He can be followed on Twitter at @Matt2Clapp (also @TheBlogfines for Cubs/MLB tweets and @DaBearNecess for Bears/NFL tweets), and can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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