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.

Rams defensive end Robert Quinn endured a second injury-plagued season in a row. Harry How/Getty Images

"I was feeling OK at the beginning, and it definitely got frustrating at the end," said Quinn, who is signed through the 2019 season. "I think it played a part in everything that was going on. Let’s not point the fingers at anyone else. We have to look ourselves in the mirror sometimes. It’s just frustrating. I wanted to be healthy, wanted to help this team win. I didn’t really expect to get hurt. Football’s a funny game."

The Rams, who fired longtime coach Jeff Fisher on Dec. 12, were plagued by a variety of issues while going 4-12. But one key reason for their defense's struggles down the stretch -- the Rams gave up an NFL-leading 34.5 points per game from Weeks 12 to 17 -- might have been Quinn's absence. It limited their ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage, and put a lot of pressure on a thin secondary that was at times overmatched against a slate of opposing quarterbacks that included Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Carson Palmer.

Quinn's placement on injured reserve on Dec. 15 was part procedural and part precautionary. He expects a normal offseason.

"Last offseason, I was coming off the back surgery, so, I missed a lot," Quinn said. "I’m trying to look at it as, 'At least I get a longer, healthier offseason without coming off surgery.' You get back to work earlier and stuff like that. I’m trying to be positive. ... These past two years have been frustrating, but they’re in the past, and let’s see what we can do in the future."