Cowboys finalize trade for Robert Quinn to replace Gregory not insurance for Lawrence
The Dallas Cowboys have landed a big addition to the defense.
Per sources, the team has finalized a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire defensive end Robert Quinn.
The Cowboys will give up a sixth-round pick in 2020 to the Dolphins. And Quinn will get a new one-year deal for $8 million, plus incentives from the Cowboys, per a source.
Quinn has a chance to make $10 million with seven sacks if you include the Cowboys salary and $1 million roster bonus already given to him by the Dolphins.
He was due $11.8 million by the Dolphins in 2019.
Miami general manager Chris Grier said early this week at the NFL owners meeting they would help facilitate a trade for Quinn by paying part of his salary as they did when they traded quarterback Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans.
But it appears the new one-year deal was sufficient enough.
The Cowboys have been courting Quinn since they brought him in last week for a visit in hopes of consummating a trade. Per a source, scouting chief Will McClay pushed hard for the trade and Quinn chose the Cowboys over a possible opportunity to go the New Orleans Saints.
He visited the Saints on Monday after visiting the Cowboys last Tuesday.
Per a source, Quinn is looking forward to having fun in Dallas where he will play exclusively right end.
Quinn would be the answer to the indefinite suspension of Randy Gregory, giving the Cowboys a proven pass rusher opposite DeMarcus Lawrence.
He started all 16 games a season ago with the Dolphins after coming in a trade with the Rams for a fourth-round pick, racking up 6.5 sacks, 38 total tackles, 15 QB hits, and two forced fumbles.
A coaching change made him a bad fit for the scheme run by new coach Brian Flores. But he is a perfect fit for the 4-3 scheme employed by the Cowboys.
Quinn has 69 sacks in eight seasons between the Rams and Dolphins.
Again, Quinn is a replacement for the suspended Gregory. He is not insurance for Lawrence, who is an unrestricted free agent and currently in a contract impasse with the Cowboys.
But if the Cowboys can get Lawrence back in the fold, Quinn is the cherry on top of a string of recent acquisitions that have not only allowed them to fill all their holes heading into the upcoming to 2019 NFL Draft but also upgrade the roster since the end of last season in hopes of truly making a deep playoff run next season.
The other additions include tight end Jason Witten, defensive linemen Christian Covington and Kerry Hyder, receiver Randall Cobb and safety George Iloka.
Quinn, Witten, Cobb and Iloka are potential starters. Covington and Hyder are rotational depth additions.
This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 3:26 PM.
