The Seattle Seahawks are re-signing defensive end Carlos Dunlap to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with $8.5 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports Thursday evening. Dunlap acknowledged his return on Twitter.
Dunlap, 32, joined the Seahawks midway through the 2020 season via trade from Cincinnati and posted five sacks and 14 quarterback hits in eight games with Seattle. The two-time Pro Bowler was released by the Seahawks earlier this month, but the sides kept the door open for a reunion.
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Earlier Thursday, multiple outlets reported the Seahawks will trade or release defensive tackle Jarran Reed. The five-year veteran tweeted an apparent farewell Thursday, writing, "It’s been real 12s💙✌🏿 tomorrow at 1 it’s official … on to the next chapter."
Reed, 28, had 6.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits last season in the first year of a two-year, $23 million contract. A second-round pick by Seattle in 2016, he posted career highs of 10.5 sacks and 24 QB hits in 2018.
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What Dunlap adds to the Seahawks
Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer: Dunlap was Seattle's best pass rusher last season, leading the position group in pressure percentage (12.6), according to TruMedia, and finishing second in sacks and fourth in total pressures despite playing just eight games.
Prior to acquiring Dunlap, Seattle had one of the worst pass-rush groups in the league. After adding him to the lineup the Seahawks legitimately had one of the best pass-rush groups — if not the best — in the league in the second half of the season. Re-signing Dunlap — along with re-signing defensive end Benson Mayowa —solidifies the pass rush and scratches “edge rusher” off of Seattle’s priority list entering the draft.
What Reed's pending departure means
Dugar: Losing Reed and not receiving another defensive tackle in return would leave Seattle with three true interior linemen: Poona Ford, who recently received a two-year extension, Bryan Mone and Cedrick Lattimore. L.J. Collier, Rasheem Green and Hyder are all defensive ends who can play inside if need be. Trading or releasing Reed would save $8.9 million but also comes with a $5 million dead cap hit. Seattle needs another interior lineman before Week 1 of the regular season.
What other needs do the Seahawks have to address?
Dugar: In addition to defensive tackle, shoring up the defensive side of the ball requires addressing the cornerback position. The Seahawks let Shaquill Griffin walk in free agency and he signed with the Jags for $45 million. Seattle signed cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon for $4 million, but he has been inconsistent and was benched multiple times in San Francisco.
Seattle's other two cornerbacks with starting experience, D.J. Reed and Tre Flowers, are decent but either undersized or inconsistent. They're also on expiring contracts. Seattle needs to add an outside cornerback prior to the starting of training camp.
(Photo: Eric Hartline / USA Today)