Dallas Cowboys trade for Robert Quinn looks like a home run

There are plenty of negatives to take out of the Dallas Cowboys’ first loss of the season. But the play of defensive end Robert Quinn isn’t one of them.

The Dallas Cowboys suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday night, losing an offensively-challenged battle to the New Orleans Saints, 12-10. The defensive contest was reminiscent of the 13-10 game these two teams played back in Week 13 of last season at AT&T Stadium, with the main difference being the fact the Cowboys were the victors instead.

Another difference was the fact Robert Quinn didn’t play for Dallas last season. The Cowboys traded a 2020 sixth-round selection to the Miami Dolphins for Quinn’s services this offseason. And despite having to serve a two-game suspension for violations of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy to start the season, the 29-year old pass rusher is currently the team’s sack leader.

Against the Saints, Quinn put on a show. He recorded multiple sacks on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, only two of which actually counted due to penalties. On top of those 2.0 sacks, Quinn also had three total tackles, three QB hits, and one pass deflection.

His performance in New Orleans gives Quinn 3.0 sacks total in a two-game span, which is tied for 14th most in the league to date. That’s half a sack higher than defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has been able to record in four contests this year. And Lawrence was signed to a massive five-year, $105 million contract this offseason as he’s considered one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL.

Here’s what Bryan Broaddus, football analyst for DallasCowboys.com, wrote recently about Quinn’s performance in only his second game for Dallas.

"“Give the Cowboys’ pro personnel department credit for the work they did on Robert Quinn. There were questions about whether he still had any juice to his game, but I believe we can put those questions to rest. Quinn abused one of the better left tackles in the league in Terron Armstead. The Saints really had no answer for him the entire night.”"

When the Dallas Cowboys traded for Robert Quinn this offseason, it seemed to be as insurance due to the fact former second-round defensive end Randy Gregory was serving his second indefinite suspension for substance abuse. A nine-year veteran, Quinn struggled to record 6.5 sacks last season in Miami and it was fair to consider he might be on the downslope of his career. After his first two games in Dallas, it seems nothing could be further from the truth.