Report: DE Carlos Dunlap returning to Seahawks on 2-year deal

The Seahawks had a plan all along, it would seem.

O’Neil: Why don’t Hawks spend big on pass rush? Quantity is quality

Just 2 1/2 weeks after Seattle released Carlos Dunlap as a salary cap casualty, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Thursday evening that Dunlap’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said the veteran defensive end is returning to the Seahawks on a two-year contract.

Dunlap, who is entering his 12th season in the NFL, then indicated he is returning to Seattle in a tweet of his own that read in part, “Year 12 with the 12’s!”

The Dunlap news comes on the heels of defensive tackle Jarran Reed tweeting Thursday afternoon that he and the Seahawks would be parting ways officially on Friday in a move that would create significant room under the salary cap for the Seahawks.

Per Schefter’s tweet, Dunlap’s contract will be worth $16.6 million, with $8.5 million guaranteed – essentially what Seattle would be saving in moving on from Reed. Dunlap’s original contract before Seattle released him carried a salary cap hit of $14 million for next season.

While the news that the Seahawks decided to bring back Dunlap and move on from Reed may have surprised some, it was a possibility others had speculated about.

Dunlap isn’t the only big signing Seattle has made at defensive end this week. They reportedly re-signed Benson Mayowa on Tuesday, and they announced the official signing of Kerry Hyder Jr. out of free agency Thursday.

The 32-year-old Dunlap was a midseason trade acquisition by the Seahawks in 2020, and his arrival coincided with a dramatic improvement by Seattle’s pass rush. He had five sacks in eight games with Seattle, and the Seahawks moved up the team ranks in the second half of the season to finish seventh in the NFL with 46 sacks.

.@Carlos_Dunlap SACK ON KYLER MURRAY TO END THE GAME!!!#AZvsSEA: https://t.co/2cxHPcAjwx pic.twitter.com/QKGyn24UJz

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 20, 2020

Follow Brent Stecker on Twitter.

Heaps: Seahawks would have best pass rush since ’13 if Dunlap returns

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