Rams DE Robert Quinn trying to rebound from 'frustrating' two yearsAlden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES -- There was a point early in the 2016 season when Los Angeles Rams defensive end Robert Quinn felt like himself again, like the menacing edge rusher who went to back-to-back Pro Bowls and compiled 40 sacks over a three-year stretch. Then the injuries crept up, and yet another season ended on injured reserve.
Quinn has now been limited to 15 starts over the last two years.
“I felt like I was getting there, getting back in the groove of things," Quinn said. "Football just kind of put its magic wand on me again and said, ‘Slow down.’"
First, his back slowed him.
Quinn's fifth season in the NFL was his first abbreviated one. The former No. 14 overall pick began dealing with a variety of ailments around the middle of October 2015. It all stemmed from his back, which required surgery and ended his season by the middle of November. The Rams slowed Quinn along in his rehab throughout 2016, fully cognizant of how vital his presence was to maximizing Aaron Donald's ability between the tackles. And early on, they benefited.
In the second and third regular-season games -- both wins -- Quinn totaled two sacks, two tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, one key forced fumble and one game-clinching tackle.
But Quinn suffered a shoulder injury in a Week 4 victory at Arizona, forcing him to miss back-to-back games against Buffalo and Detroit, both resulting in losses. He returned to the starting lineup by Week 9, played in two games, then was hospitalized for a non-football-related illness in which he reportedly suffered seizure-like symptoms. Quinn ultimately chalked it up to dehydration, played in the next two games, recorded a sack in each one, then was placed in concussion protocol, ultimately spending the final five games on the sideline.
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