Carlos Dunlap, Seahawks Agree to New 2-Year, $16.6M Contract in Free Agency

The Seattle Seahawks ultimately kept a two-time Pro Bowler on their defensive line when they re-signed Carlos Dunlap to a two-year, $16.6 million contract on Thursday, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This comes after Seattle released the veteran in March. ESPN's Brady Henderson reported "the move clears $14.1 million in badly needed cap space" and created a situation where the Seahawks would attempt to re-sign him at a lesser cost.

The University of Florida product played eight games with Seattle in 2020 and tallied five sacks, which was a notable jump from the one sack he posted in seven games with the Cincinnati Bengals last season.

While nobody in Bengals history has more than the 82.5 sacks Dunlap finished with during his time with the AFC North team, they traded him to the Seahawks in October after something of a falling out when he grew frustrated with a lack of playing time.

Ben Baby of ESPN reported the pass-rusher "went after defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo regarding his playcalling" and "posted a property listing minutes after the loss on social media in posts that were later deleted" following a game against the Cleveland Browns.

The ending was surely not what either side envisioned, but Dunlap was a defensive anchor for Cincinnati after it selected him with a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

He was a Pro Bowler in 2015 and 2016 and helped lead the team to the playoffs five straight years from 2011-16. He set the franchise record for career sacks and had at least 7.5 in eight different seasons.

Dunlap's prime may be behind him at 32 years old, but he proved he can still be productive during his brief time with the Seahawks.

He will now look to build on that and rediscover his form from his Pro Bowl days in Cincinnati as he strives for the first Super Bowl title of his career.