Chicago Bears: 5 Players who need to step up for the 2021 season
By Joseph Herff
Chicago Bears need Robert Quinn to return to his previous form
To say Robert Quinn was a disappointment last season would be an understatement. Ryan Pace gave Quinn a generous five-year, $70 million contract ($30 million guaranteed) to man the second pass-rushing position opposite of Khalil Mack. On paper, this was a gorgeous move that gave the Bears a frightening pass rush with Quinn, Mack, Akiem Hicks, and Eddie Goldman.
Quinn was fresh off an impressive 11.5 sack season with the Dallas Cowboys. His pass-rush win rate was one of the best in the NFL in 2019 as he faced a high number of double teams and still came away with an incredible amount of sacks and pressures. He then got a similar contract from the Cowboys but chose to come to Chicago instead.
Coming into Chicago, Quinn faced an injury early on and didn’t see the field until the second game in which his first snap he got a strip-sack. That ended up being one of the two sacks he had all season. Quinn hardly touched the field as he saw his snap percentage being taken away by Barkevious Mingo.
Now, there were rumors that Quinn suffered from drop foot last offseason which is nerve damage in the foot that pains Quinn to lift the front part of his foot. If that is the case, we should see a much improved Quinn for 2021. Regardless, he needs to play to his contract to make this Bears’ defense elite again.