Leonard Floyd Released by Bears After Signing of Robert Quinn
The Leonard Floyd question has been answered in a big way by Bears general manager Ryan Pace.
The Bears found a new pass rusher when they agreed to terms Tuesday with former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn.
The free agent has taken a five-year, $70 million deal with $30 million guaranteed according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Bears announced the release of Floyd.
Floyd was due $13.2 million in salary this year and it would have been guaranteed on Wednesday.
Floyd's lack of pass rush production had been a huge problem. He made one sack in the final 15 weeks last season and had just three for the year. He had seven sacks as a rookie in 2016 as a first-round draft pick out of Georgia, but has never reached that level again. He has just 18 1/2 for his career.
Quinn, 29, is 6-foot-4, 257 pounds and is coming off an 11 1/2-sack season, his best production since going to the Pro Bowl in 2014. Over a three-year stretch from 2012-14 Quinn had 50 sacks for the St. Louis Rams, but his production had tailed off drastically during some injury-plagued seasons.
From 2015-2018 Quinn had 24 sacks with a low of four in 2016.
When opponents began double- and triple-teaming outside linebacker Khalil Mack, the Bears suffered on defense. The pass rush produced only 32 sacks last year after making 50 in 2018.
With the reduced pressure, opponents began picking apart their pass coverage with more regularity. The Bears went from 27 interceptions in 2018 to 10 last year.
Floyd never was able to pick up the slack when Mack was being double-teamed, and when Akiem Hicks was sidelined the Bears lost their inside pass rush, as well.
Quinn, the 14th pick in the 2011 draft, will be with his third team in three years. He had 6 1/2 sacks in 2018 for Miami after leaving the Rams in free agency.
Quinn did have to sit out the first two games when suspended two weeks by the NFL for a violation of the league's performance enhancing drug policy. He was said to have used a masking agent. Quinn also suffered a broken hand in preseason and had to sit out anyway.
The big money spent on Quinn only adds to the intrigue about the quarterback situation facing the Bears and where they are going to come up with the cash for Mitchell Trubisky's competitor or backup.
It could mean an adjustment period for Quinn initially because he has played outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense only in one season, 2017 with the Rams. His entire career has been spent at end in a 4-3 otherwise. The 3-4 would require some pass coverage responsibilities.
However, the Bears spend more time in a four-man formation on the defensive line for pass rush situations than they do a 3-4.
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