Why the Seahawks need to give Quinton Dunbar another shot in 2021

The year of 2020 has not gone has planned for most people, but it’s especially true for Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar.

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Back in March, Seattle made what was the first of a few notable trades this year to add to its defense by getting Dunbar from Washington for a fifth-round pick. The move for Dunbar is the one that didn’t pan out, however.

The 28 year old played just six games due to a knee injury, making one interception and five passes defensed a year after he had four picks and broke up eight passes.

📽 Quinton Dunbar intercepte cette passe de Cam Newton ! #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/AVFjTS2VXv

— NFL France (@NFLFrance) September 21, 2020

The story took a turn for the worse last week when Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll disclosed that Dunbar’s attempt to return didn’t work out and he instead would undergo season-ending knee surgery, which he apparently had early this week.

Of course, Dunbar’s year had already taken an unexpected turn before the season began, which may have been a factor in his trouble staying healthy. His summer was marred by an armed robbery allegation, which was the beginning of a truly bizarre story to follow for the next few months. The charges against him were ultimately dropped in August, but damage was done not only to his reputation but also his preparation for the season as the legal issue prevented him from having much of an offseason program with his new team.

Dunbar is set to be a free agent after the season, but 710 ESPN Seattle’s Dave Wyman and Michael Bumpus both said during Tuesday’s edition of Wyman and Bob (with Bumpus filling in for usual co-host Bob Stelton) that they want him to get another shot with the team.

“I think pretty highly of Quinton Dunbar,” said Wyman, a former NFL linebacker who serves as color commentator on Seahawks Radio Network broadcasts. “I get why (some people were disappointed with his season)… but there were things about him that I saw that were really special.

“Now when I went out to see him out on the field in person for the first time, he looked skinny. I don’t want to say he looked out of shape – he just didn’t look he was in football shape, and you can understand why what he went through in the offseason. It’s unfortunate that whole thing happened. I think if he would have been able to train and show up here to camp in shape and ready to play a 16-game season, we would have seen something really special out of Quinton Dunbar.”

Bumpus, a former Hawks wide receiver and current analyst for the Seahawks Radio Network, backed up Wyman’s point about the offseason.

“Preparation is everything with this sport,” he said. “You cannot ‘fake the funk.’ You cannot have a horrible offseason and show up and expect your body to respond the way that it has in the past. So give him a full offseason and let’s see what he looks like. … Once he’s healthy, I think he can be serviceable. I saw a lot of good things out of the guy.”

Wyman wants Seattle to see its acquisition through by bringing back Dunbar next season.

“You made a trade there; you gotta see how this plays out,” he said. “I’m sticking with Quinton Dunbar and the promise that comes with his level of play.”

You can hear Wyman and Bob on 710 ESPN Seattle from 2-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, or listen to podcasts of every show at this link.

Follow 710Sports.com’s Brent Stecker on Twitter.

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