The Seattle Seahawks released veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The news comes one day after the team was reportedly trying to reach terms on a contract extension in order to lower his $14 million cap hit in 2021. In light of that progression, it seems that Dunlap could be in play as a re-signing on a less expensive deal to remain in the Pacific Northwest. That said, if he’s amenable to leaving and playing cheaper elsewhere, he could do worse than the K.C. Chiefs. And the same can be said for the team.
The Chiefs are likely to make a few new imports at defensive end this offseason, and they’re likely to add at least one veteran in free agency in the process. This is a roster that is potentially waving goodbye to a number of unrestricted free agents already and it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see all three of them leave. Taco Charlton was a one-year experiment who lost half a season due to injury. Another team is going to pay for the chance to see if Tanoh Kpassagnon’s best football is still ahead of him. Meanwhile, Alex Okafor is too oft-injured to stay in K.C. any longer.
That leaves Frank Clark as a starting end for the Chiefs and Michael Danna as the lone dependable rotational body on the other side. There’s significant room here for multiple veterans and draft picks, which means Carlos Dunlap could be in play.
While it’s clear that Dunlap’s best years are behind him at the age of 32, he’s still a reliable performer up front for defenses. Just last season, he played in 15 games between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks. That comes after averaging 15.6 starts per season since 2013. In short, signing a vet like Dunlap isn’t like bringing in another Okafor. Dunlap has proven able to stay on the field for the rigors of a full season.
Beyond that, he’s also proven to be productive. He hasn’t generated a single double-digit sack total since his Pro Bowl year in 2015, but he’s also never had less than six in a season since 2011. He had 26 pressures and 8 hurries last year in his first experience outside of Cincinnati.
Carlos Dunlap could make sense as a signing for the K.C. Chiefs.
Speaking of his tenure with the Bengals, Dunlap is a well-respected vet who is hungry for his first real playoff run after 11 seasons in the NFL. He brings a wealth of experience to the table which could serve a new draft pick or two very well as a mature player who has been around the league for so long. And signing him on, say, a motivated one-year deal in order to chase after his first Super Bowl ring could see him blossom for Steve Spagnuolo and company.
No one should expect Dunlap to come into K.C. (or anywhere else) and generate 10 sacks from his spot at defensive end. However, he could be a very valuable rotational pass rusher to give an unsettled position on the roster some security, experience, and production. If the Chiefs were to add a first or second round pick to the mix, suddenly the unit would look a lot better. And for Dunlap, he could do worse than signing up to play for the favorites in 2021.