Chicago Bears Robert Quinn contract breakdown

Robert Quinn signed a 5-year deal with the Chicago Bears. What are the cap hits?

The Chicago Bears signed Robert Quinn to replace Leonard Floyd this offseason. Quinn is older, but not by much, and is much more productive. The money is more but not much more. However, by signing a five-year deal, he is clearly signed much longer than Floyd, who was just on a fifth-year option.

However, we all know that contracts are less about the years and more about the guaranteed money. How does the contract structure work out, and at what point does his average salary outweigh his dead money?

Year one, Quinn will count just $6.1 million against the cap, with a $3.1 million signing bonus and a $3 million base salary.

In year two, his cap hit is $14.7 million. His dead cap hit will be $23.9 million, so no matter what Quinn does this year, he is going to be back in Chicago in 2021. By this point, Quinn will have made over $30 million in cash, and his dead cap charge will start to shift.

In year three, Quinn would carry a $16 million cap hit. His dead cap would only be $9.3 million, so the Bears could save $7.7 against their 2021 salary cap if they are not satisfied with the first two years of Quinn. It is worth noting he will also be 32 by this point. Still, in most cases, Quinn will certainly see year three.

In year four, Quinn would have a cap hit of $17.1 million. However, his dead cap would go down to $6.2 million. At age 33 he will present a cap savings of close to $11 million. By this point, he will either had such great production, that it is a no brainer to keep him, or it would likely be a good point for the Bears to move on here.

The reality of this deal is that there are three committed years.

In year five, Quinn would have a $16.1 million cap hit. He had a $3.1 million dead cap hit and would present a $13 million cap savings in 2024.