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Robert Quinn

Cowboys Meet With Dolphins’ Robert Quinn

March 19th, 2019 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are shopping Robert Quinn and it sounds like they already have one potential suitor. The defensive end is on his way to visit the Cowboys, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 

[RELATED: Cowboys To Meet With Eric Berry]

Clubs have to give their blessing before a contracted player can visit another club, so Miami has given Quinn the greenlight to talk with Jerry Jones & Co. If the two sides are comfortable with one another, this could be the precursor to a deal.

Quinn has one year remaining on the contract he initially signed with the Rams. As it stands, Quinn is set to carry an $11.8MM cap number for the upcoming season, but none of the money coming to him is guaranteed. It’s possible that the Cowboys will ask Quinn to take a pay cut in exchange for some cost certainty in 2019. An extension may also be in the cards, though that could be tricky given Quinn’s decline in production.

Quinn had just 6.5 sacks in 2018, but he did tie for 20th among DEs with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying edge rushers. And, he’s entering his age-29 season, so he has plenty of football left.

The Cowboys tagged Demarcus Lawrence earlier this month, but the star edge defender has said in the past that he will not sign a one-year tender. Meanwhile, Randy Gregory and David Irving have both been hit with indefinite suspensions, so the Cowboys are in desperate need of help on the D-Line.

Latest On Dolphins, Robert Quinn

March 18th, 2019 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Robert Quinn earned a $1.1MM roster bonus late last week, but that doesn’t mean he’s off the trade block. In fact, the Dolphins remain eager to move him and are even willing to eat salary in a trade, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. 

As it stands, any team that trades for Quinn is responsible for his base salary of roughly $11.8MM. But, by paying the roster bonus, the Dolphins have at least taken some of the onus off of a potential partner.

Quinn lost some luster after leaving L.A., but he’s still an effective player. His 6.5 sacks in 2018 weren’t a head-turner, but he did tie for 20th among DEs with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying edge rushers. Quinn is still only entering his age-29 campaign, so he’s a player that could be in the plans for years to come.

He’s not in the Dolphins’ plans, however, as the team embarks on an aggressive rebuild. The ’19 Dolphins, set to be led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, may be looking to tank.

Latest On Dolphins DE Robert Quinn

March 14th, 2019 at 10:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Robert Quinn was thought to be a surefire candidate for release heading into the offseason, but the veteran defensive end remains on the Dolphins’ roster. In fact, Miami will Quinn a $1.1MM roster bonus Friday, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.

The Dolphins have held trade talks regarding Quinn, and they may still have every intention of dealing him. By taking care of Quinn’s roster bonus, Miami has now reduced the commitment an acquiring club would take on by picking up Quinn. As Beasley notes, any team that trades for Quinn is now only responsible for his base salary of roughly $11.8MM.

That figure still may be too expensive for interested clubs, but Quinn is still a relatively effective player. While he finished with only 6.5 sacks in 2018, Quinn tied for 20th among defensive ends with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying DEs. And although he’s been in the NFL since 2011, Quinn is still only entering his age-29 campaign.

As Beasley writes, it’s unclear where the Dolphins go from here. If they can’t generate any trade interest in Quinn and end up cutting him, they’ve essentially wasted $1.1MM for no reason. It’s possible Quinn remains on the Miami roster for the entire season, but he’d been an odd fit on a club that’s going into a hard rebuild.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Quinn, Flowers

March 7th, 2019 at 1:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here’s a look at the latest from the AFC:

  • The Dolphins “have had trade conversations” about defensive end Robert Quinn, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Quinn is heading into the final year of his contract, and is due $12MM this year. Rapsheet says the “thought is” that if they aren’t able to trade him they’ll release him, which echoes what we heard at the end of the regular season. In the video posted, Rapoport does sound very high on Quinn’s ability to land on his feet. There’s “no doubt” that Quinn will be “coveted” on the open market if he’s released, according to Rapoport. Quinn’s production hasn’t been anywhere near what it was in his first few years in the league, but he’s still only 28. He’s coming off a 6.5 sack season in Miami.
  • Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers, who projects as one of the top free agents in the NFL, is rehabbing from a recent shoulder surgery that is not considered serious, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The surgery is more of a clean-up than a serious procedure, so it shouldn’t hamper Flowers’ market. Last year, Flowers set a new career high with 7.5 sacks and consistently disrupted opposing quarterbacks.
  • The Steelers tendered B.J. Finney at the second round level yesterday, which could mean the writing is on the wall for Ramon Foster. While he isn’t “totally ruling out” a return for Foster, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, thinks the Finney tendering will make it hard for Foster to come back (Twitter link). Foster has been a starter on Pittsburgh’s offensive line for most of the past ten seasons, but Fowler writes the Steelers wouldn’t pay $3.095MM, the amount of Finney’s tender, “for someone they don’t intend to play.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Dolphins Likely To Cut Quinn, Parker

January 1st, 2019 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

Major changes are coming in Miami. This offseason, the Dolphins are expected to cut defensive end Robert Quinn (saving $12.9MM against the cap), defensive end Andre Branch (saving $7MM, $2MM in dead money) and wide receiver DeVante Parker ($9.4MM savings), according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Naturally, the upheaval won’t stop there, but the Dolphins have some big decisions to make on significant contracts in the coming weeks and months. Ryan Tannehill is likely done in South Beach and players like defensive tackle Akeem Spence ($2.5MM cap savings) and guard Ted Larsen ($1.9MM) could also be dropped from the roster, Jackson hears.

And, if the Dolphins really want to turn over a new leaf, they may decide against retaining unrestricted free agents like Frank Gore and Cameron Wake and move on from receiver Danny Amendola, whose entire $6MM cap hit can be washed out. Jackson adds that the future of veterans like guard Josh Sitton and safety T.J. McDonald is also in question.

Quinn, 29 in May, came to Miami via a spring trade with the Rams. The former first-round pick notched 6.5 sacks and 38 tackles, but graded out as just the No. 42 ranked edge defender in the NFL per Pro Football Focus. Branch, meanwhile, was one of the lowest-ranked DEs out of 108 qualified players.

Parker was once viewed as the team’s future at wide receiver, but injuries have hampered his progress over the last four years. This year, he managed just 24 catches for 309 yards and a touchdown in eleven games.

Extra Points: Steelers, Bell, Giants, OBJ, Collins, Dolphins, Quinn

July 7th, 2018 at 9:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Le’Veon Bell appears likely to again remain away from the Steelers all summer. Similarly to last year, he’s expected to show up right before the regular season as he angles for a longterm extension that will make him the highest paid running back in league history.

Until he shows up, Bell won’t be signing his franchise tender. That’s in contrast to the other players who’ve been tagged such as Lamarcus Joyner, Demarcus Lawrence, and Ezekiel Ansah, who have all signed their tenders. If there’s no progress on a longterm deal and the relationship between the two sides sour, the Steelers could even rescind Bell’s tender before he signs it and play the 2018 season without him, says Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. While Florio says that option “remains unlikely”, he thinks it’s a possibility and notes it would put Bell in a “tough spot” as most teams’ salary caps and rosters would be set by then.

It’s a long-shot, but the Steelers seem to think they need Bell less than everyone else. Crazier things have happened.

Here’s more from around the league:

East Notes: Dolphins, Pouncey, Cowboys

April 5th, 2018 at 1:06pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at some items out of the AFC and NFC East:

  • The Dolphins have replaced Mike Pouncey with Daniel Kilgore, but they do not believe that they have lost an elite center. “Mike was maybe the best or second-best center in the league two or three years ago,” a team source told Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Kilgore, they feel, will give Miami a bump in run blocking, but not necessarily in pass protection. He also brings more size to the position and is something of an iron addict whereas Pouncey was never an enthusiastic weight room guy.
  • New Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn says he was “pretty much shocked, honestly” upon learning that he had been traded from the Rams to the Dolphins (Twitter links via Salguero). “It’s like this, this is the first time I’ve been traded. You commit yourself to someone and you have your family turn their back on you,” Quinn said. Quinn, 28 in May, racked up 8.5 sacks in 15 games for L.A. last season. He has 62.5 career sacks to his credit, dating back to 2011. The Bucs and Browns also explored trades for Quinn before he was shipped to Miami.
  • Defensive end Kony Ealy and the Cowboys remain in talks, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram tweets. However, it might take a couple of days before a decision is made.

Browns Tried To Trade For Robert Quinn

March 4th, 2018 at 3:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers weren’t the only team that tried (and failed) to trade for Rams edge rusher Robert Quinn. The Browns also attempted to land Quinn, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN.com, but both Tampa Bay and Cleveland ultimately lost out to the Dolphins, who acquired the veteran defensive end last week.Robert Quinn (Vertical)

The Browns own the most draft capital of any club in the NFL, so they likely could have topped any offer made by the Dolphins. Cleveland owns nine picks inside the top 150, while Miami sent fourth- and sixth-round picks to Los Angeles in exchange for Quinn and a sixth-rounder. However, the Browns only offered a fifth-round selection, tweets Laine.

Cleveland, notably, also possesses the most cap space in the league, meaning it could easily fit the remainder of Quinn’s contract on its books. Quinn, 27, is due roughly $24.377MM over the next two seasons.

In 2017, the Browns 17th in adjusted sack rate, 21st in sacks, and 23rd in pressure rate, and while Myles Garrett clearly fills one defensive end spot, Quinn would have joined a Cleveland edge rushing group that also includes Emmanuel Ogbah, Carl Nassib, and Nate Orchard. As he will with the Dolphins (and would’ve with the Buccaneers), Quinn will now shift back to a 4-3 scheme after spending last with the Rams in a 3-4 front.

Bucs Explored Trade For DE Robert Quinn

March 4th, 2018 at 1:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers looked into trading for defensive end Robert Quinn before the Rams dealt him to the Dolphins, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link).Robert Quinn (Vertical)

The Rams eventually landed a 2018 fourth- and sixth-round picks in exchange for Quinn and a 2018 sixth-rounder. Tampa Bay, however, only offered a fourth-round choice, tweets Jenna Laine of ESPN.com.

While the Bucs weren’t able to land Quinn, there interest denotes a clear need to add pass rushers this offseason. As I noted when assessing Tampa Bay’s most pressing roster needs, the Buccaneers finished dead last in sacks (22), adjusted sack rate, and pressure rate in 2017, leading the club to replace former defensive line coach Jay Hayes with Brentson Buckner.

Tampa Bay needs to address the interior of its defensive line after releasing Chris Baker (and have already been linked to free agent Dontari Poe), but if the team wants to add reinforcements on the edge, it won’t have many options on the free agent market. Demarcus Lawrence and Ezekiel Ansah will be taken off the board by franchise tags, leaving the Buccaneers to peruse second-tier defensive ends such as Adrian Clayborn, William Hayes, Trent Murphy, and Julius Peppers.

Rams To Trade Robert Quinn To Dolphins

March 2nd, 2018 at 4:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams have agreed to another big trade. They are going to ship Robert Quinn to the Dolphins in exchange for a mid-round pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links).

The Rams discussed dealing the eighth-year edge defender to the Chiefs for Marcus Peters, but the sides settled on a second- and fourth-round pick. Now, it looks like the Rams are getting a trade pick back to help compensate for the mid-rounders they sent for Peters and Sammy Watkins over the past several months.

Miami will send its fourth- and sixth-round picks to Los Angeles for Quinn and a sixth-rounder, Peter Schrager of NFL.com tweets. The Rams had three sixth-round picks in this draft, after collecting the third in the Peters deal, and it’s uncertain which one they will send to the Dolphins. The Dolphins also had two fourth-rounders after the Jay Ajayi trade as well, so it’s also not known which pick they agreed to include in this deal.

Quinn has two years and just more than $25MM remaining on his second NFL contract, and he’ll now return to a 4-3 scheme after spending 2017 in Wade Phillips‘ 3-4. While Quinn bounced back to start 14 games after being limited to fewer than 10 during the two prior years, he has not been the dominant force he was in St. Louis. But he will only be set for his age-28 season in 2018, so the Dolphins are betting the former first-round pick has some quality years left.

The former North Carolina prodigy compiled three straight seasons of 10-plus sacks from 2012-14, with that stretch peaking via 2013’s 19-sack season that placed Quinn on the top All-Pro team. He registered 8.5 sacks last season and has 62.5 for his career to go along with an impressive 21 forced fumbles (seven in that All-Pro slate). A back injury and a concussion limited Quinn to just 17 games during the 2015 and ’16 seasons.

This move is interesting financially for the Dolphins, who are projected to be $8MM-plus over the cap. They have given Jarvis Landry permission to find a trade and don’t look intent on carrying his $16.2MM franchise tag on their books. But Quinn is set for $12MM-plus cap numbers in each of the next two seasons. But none of that money is guaranteed.

With Quinn representing the third-highest cap hold on the Rams’ payroll, this will help a franchise that has multiple marquee UFAs it would like to retain in Watkins and Lamarcus Joyner and a looming extension for probably the best defensive player in football. The Rams entered Friday with $39.9MM in cap space.

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