The Seahawks released Carlos Dunlap II earlier this month hoping they might be able to bring him back, and they were able to make that happen, signing the veteran defensive end to a multi-year deal four weeks after he was released.
The Seahawks added Dunlap midway through last season in a trade with Cincinnati, and at the time Dunlap, whose contract ran through 2021, agreed to restructure his deal to lower his 2020 cap hit and help facilitate the trade, with the understanding that he would get a chance to test free agency if he and the Seahawks couldn't agree to a contract extension this offseason.
But after testing the free-agent waters, Dunlap decided to return to Seattle to chase the two goals he highlighted when he joined the Seahawks: reaching the Super Bowl and 100 career sacks. Dunlap currently has 87.5 career sacks in 11 seasons, including five in eight games with Seattle last season.
"I'd love to stay in Seattle as long as they'll have me," Dunlap said at the end of the season. "… I feel like I've got a lot of ball left, and I would like to finish up with an organization like this. My two goals are still Super Bowl and 100 sacks, and I have not accomplished either one of them, and I haven't won a playoff game. I think we have the pedigree here to do that next season, and I would love to be a part of it."
A two-time Pro-Bowler, Dunlap spent the first 10-plus seasons of his career in Cincinnati before the Seahawks acquired him in a trade that sent a seventh-round pick and offensive lineman B.J. Finney to the Bengals. Dunlap's arrival in Seattle helped spark a second-half turnaround for the Seahawks defense, and for the pass rush in particular, with the Seahawks recording 12 sacks in their first seven games prior to Dunlap's arrival, and 34 over the final nine games of the season.
Dunlap's half a season with the Seahawks produced not just five sacks, but two in the final minutes of games that effectively ended opponents' final drives in a pair of close victories, and he also recorded six tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits.
Dunlap is the third veteran pass-rusher the Seahawks have signed this month, joining Kerry Hyder Jr., who last season led the 49ers with 8.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits, and Benson Mayowa, who had 6.0 sacks last season. Those three, along with returning ends like L.J. Collier, Rasheem Green, Alton Robinson and Darrell Taylor could give the Seahawks the deepest pass-rush rotation they've had in years.
A look back at defensive end Carlos Dunlap II's first 11 seasons in the NFL. Dunlap signed a multi-year deal to return to the Seahawks on Tuesday. Read more: https://shwks.com/c8qsuh
Cincinnati Bengals second-round pick Carlos Dunlap, a defensive lineman from Florida, poses with a jersey during an NFL football news conference, Saturday, April 24, 2010, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap, left, tackles Indianapolis Colts running back Donald Brown in the second half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010. The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-17. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) returns a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in Cincinnati. Colts tight end Dallas Clark (44) pursues. (AP Photo/David Kohl)
Cincinnati Bengals Carlos Dunlap plays in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ever Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL. October 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Tom DiPace)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap sacks Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and forces a fumble during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap leaves the field after their 23-17 win against the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Michael Keating)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap (96) in action on defense during the NFL week 4 football game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns won the game 17-6. (AP Photo/Joe Robbins)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap (96) in action on defense during the NFL week 17 football game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals won the game 34-17. (AP Photo/Joe Robbins)
Cincinnati Bengals' Carlos Dunlap (96) holds the U.S. flag with members of the military to honor U.S. Armed Forces for their annual Salute to Service Day before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, left, is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) runs with a fumble recovery against San Francisco 49ers tackle Erik Pears (71) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Marcus Gilbert (77) blocks Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) as he leaps while trying to knock down a deep pass thrown by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) that sets up the game winning field goal during the NFL AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 in Cincinnati. The Steelers won the game 18-16. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) looks on from the sideline during the 2015 week 10 regular season NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Monday, Nov. 16, 2015 in Cincinnati. The Texans won the game 10-6. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) rushes to tackle Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Team Rice running back Adrian Peterson (28) of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled by Team Irvin defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap (96) of the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday January 31, 2016 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap arrives before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) takes the field before an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) sets for play during the AFC football practice for the NFL Pro Bowl, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017 at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) meets with Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, right, is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap practices before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) during an NFL preseason football game against the New York Giants, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Cincinnati. (Aaron Doster via AP)
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap flashes his gloves during the team stretch portion of warmups.
Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap celebrates after making a third-down stop in the first half, forcing an Arizona punt.
