Despite a solid start to their RaboDirect PRO12 campaign, which sees them sit fourth heading into this weekend, the inability of fielding a settled side could easily see them slip down the pecking order.
And with fellow lock Tom Denton still recovering from an injury of his own, Schmidt admits that availability issues at second row are a growing worry.
"It is a concern," Schmidt told the Irish Independent. "The injury to Quinn is very unlucky and it could happen to any player at any time - unfortunately he landed awkwardly.
"He is a big, strong man and we were starting to get excited about what he could bring to help us out and he is really gutted - he is probably looking at 16-20 weeks rehabilitation.
"We thought that with Tom and Quinn coming in this year - they are both young men who I think have got futures in the game - that they would alleviate the second row problem.
"We've got Devin Toner who has done really well for us and a couple of really experienced players in Damian Browne and obviously our skipper Leo Cullen.
"But with Tom getting injured and Brownie having a knock, and then on top of that losing Quinn, you don't have to be a mathematician to work out that five minus three is uncomfortable."
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