Chicago Bears veteran misses time at OTAs with injury

Many Chicago Bears fans are hoping that they can get something, anything out of Robert Quinn in 2021. They got the minimum from what their expectations were in 2020 as Quinn missed time with injuries, was subbed out often, and would disappear too much.

The positive hope is that a COVID year with weird circumstances for a player changing teams was just too much to overcome for many, and Quinn may have been one of them. It is easy to throw out a bad 2020.

However, the vibe heading into 2021 has not been strong for Quinn who did not participate in mandatory OTAs with a back issue.

There has been a long-standing trend all offseason that Quinn will not be counted on in 2021 as much as he was in 2020.

To start, Sean Desai runs much more multiple defenses that rely on versatility from his edge rushers. Quinn is a hand in the dirt rusher who lines up and goes. Beyond that, the Bears signed Jeremiah Attachou, who very well could fill the platoon role that Barkevious Mingo held last season. They also signed Christian Jones, who spent time as an edge rusher in Detroit, and obviously has the versatility that Desai wants.

So, the role he was signed for changed, and the personnel around him fits it better. Now, we add that he misses mandatory camp with a back injury that is completely separate from the injuries he was dealing with last year. Keep in mind that injuries ended his time with the Rams and Dolphins before he had a strong season in Dallas and got paid by the Bears.

Robert Quinn is going to have a role but is not going to be in line with the money that he is being paid. At this point, if they can get him on the field on third downs to rush the passer with reckless abandon and he finds 5-6 sacks the Chicago Bears should realize that is the best of what they are going to get here.