Eagles Rumors: Robert Quinn to Undergo Surgery on Knee Injury; Out at Least 4 Games
Philadelphia Eagles veteran edge-rusher Robert Quinn is heading to injured reserve and will undergo a knee scope this week, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Quinn reportedly twisted his knee during practice last week and now is set to miss a minimum of four games.
It’s a tough point in the schedule to lose Quinn, with matchups against the New York Giants (twice), Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints remaining this season. Those three NFC East showdowns in particular will be important as the Eagles (11-1) look to claim a division crown and the top overall seed in the playoffs.
It’s also another blow to the team’s pass-rushing depth after Derek Barnett was lost for the season in Week 1 due to an ACL tear.
Quinn, 32, was traded for midseason to help alleviate that loss, though in five games with the Eagles he’s only managed two tackles, two quarterback hits and no sacks. He also had just one sack in seven games with the Chicago Bears this season.
He hasn’t resembled the player who had 18.5 sacks in 2021.
The Eagles should still be able to generate a pass rush without him, with players like Haason Reddick (nine sacks), Javon Hargrave (eight sacks), Josh Sweat (6.5 sacks), Brandon Graham (5.5 sacks) and Fletcher Cox (five sacks) all healthy. But they do get thin at defensive end pretty quickly after Sweat and Graham, with Reddick playing more of a hybrid role.
That could mean a free-agent pickup at the position, though at this point of the season the pickings may be slimThe defense in general has had to battle through injuries this season, with rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis returning this past week after a stint on the sidelines and defensive backs Avonte Maddox and C.J. Gardner-Johnson currently injured.
That hasn’t slowed the defense down, however, a unit holding opponents to just 296.4 yards per game, second in the NFL. The Eagles are also eighth in points allowed per game (18.8), first in takeaways (23) and second in sacks (42).
Much of the praise surrounding the Eagles has been about a dangerous offense, led by star quarterback Jalen Hurts. But the defense is balling out too, and the loss of Quinn—while not ideal—isn’t going to slow that unit down.
Timothy Rapp:
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