Dallas Cowboys lose 2019 sack leader Robert Quinn to Bears

The Dallas Cowboys lose another key member of their defense to a team with deeper pockets. This time, it’s their 2019 sack leader, Robert Quinn.

The Dallas Cowboys signed defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence to a five-year, $105 million contract extension last April. Yet, the resident War Daddy posted just 5.0 sacks in 2019. But the player who actually led the Cowboys in sacks last year will now play elsewhere this upcoming season.

On Tuesday, it was reported that defensive end Robert Quinn has agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal ($30 million guaranteed) to join the Chicago Bears. That according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Cowboys traded a 2020 sixth-round selection to the Miami Dolphins to acquire Quinn last March. The 29-year old rewarded Dallas by starting 14 games and recording 34 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles in 2019.

Quinn is the second defensive starter to leave the Cowboys in free agency. On Monday, Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones agreed to join the Miami Dolphins on a five-year, $82.5 million deal ($57 million guaranteed) that will make him the highest-paid player at his position.

The exodus of Quinn leaves the Cowboys without a primary pass rusher opposite Lawrence. Veteran defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford remains on the roster and is likely the name to currently pencil-in as Quinn’s replacement. But Dallas also possesses a group of young defensive ends like Dorance Armstrong, Joe Jackson, and Jalen Jelks who could step up this offseason and earn themselves that role.

Yet, don’t expect the Dallas Cowboys to sit idly by and not address this need in free agency and the upcoming NFL draft. New head coach Mike McCarthy has gone on record saying he wants as many as six pass rushers for his defensive line. The question is can the Cowboys find another premier pass rusher like Robert Quinn with the dwindling salary cap space they have.