The Chicago Bears strengthened their pass rush with the addition of former All-Pro Robert Quinn in free agency. Chicago parted ways with former first-round pick Leonard Floyd this offseason, as they couldn’t justify paying him $13.2 million for his declining performance.
Instead, the Bears turned to a former All-Pro pass rusher for his services. Quinn’s performance in Dallas last season was impressive — he had 11.5 sacks — which translated to a big pay day from the Bears in free agency.
The name of the game in being a pass rusher is getting after the quarterback, something that Floyd struggled with. Quinn, however, ranked among NFL.com’s top-five greatest disruptors of 2019, where he landed at No. 3.
Disruption rate: 17.2% Sack rate: 3.3% Total disruptions: 60 Sacks: 11.5
Robert Quinn was well worth the price Dallas paid to acquire him last offseason, even if it was only as a one-year rental, and he’s set to make the money he deserves after signing a five-year deal with the Chicago Bears in March. Quinn enjoyed great success with the Cowboys while operating opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, pressuring the QB on 14 percent of pass rushes, the third-best rate in the NFL (minimum 250 pass rushes) in 2019.
His ability to bend while maintaining speed and power around the edge can be a nightmare for opposing tackles, and he’ll likely enjoy similar success as part of another excellent tandem in Chicago in 2020. Quinn registered 49 QB pressures in 2019, which is the same number his new Bears teammate Khalil Mack posted, but Quinn did it on 116 fewer pass rushes. Watch out for that duo.
The Bears are hoping for big things from their pass rush with Khalil Mack and Quinn. When you consider what Quinn was able to accomplish on Dallas’ defense, pairing him with Mack, where he should see more one-on-one opportunities, figures to be a recipe for success.
While Chicago’s defense regressed in 2019, they remained a top-five unit despite a myriad of factors, including injuries to defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and linebackers Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith.
The belief is that with the returning cast of characters, and new additions like Quinn, the Bears defense will be a top unit in 2020.
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