Tag Archives: Carlos Dunlap

The Dunlap dilemma

February 19, 2021 cc Leave a comment

One of the top things on our offseason to-do list for the Seahawks has been to extend Carlos Dunlap, who turned around their pass rush – and thus their defense — after his arrival in October.

A short extension for Dunlap would allow the Seahawks to greatly reduce his $14 million cap hit in 2021. However, some reporters who cover the team think Dunlap may be released, thereby freeing up the entire $14 million – and sending the Hawks on the hunt yet again for a top pass rusher.

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

Good news on the cap, but Hawks still have to make more room

February 8, 2021 cc 1 Comment

Based on recent reports, the NFL salary cap is expected to be between $180 million and $185 million in 2021. The actual number is not expected to be set until just before the league year begins March 17, but the ceiling apparently will be at least $5 million more than the floor the NFL and NFLPA had set last year.

The Seahawks and the rest of the NFL would happily take an extra $5 million, if Tom Pelissero’s report is more accurate than Adam Schefter’s tweet. (Here’s an easy explanation of how the league arrives at the salary cap.)

Assuming the number is Schefter’s reported $180 million, the Seahawks still would need to create room just to tender Poona Ford (about $3.4 million on the second-round offer) and a few ERFAs, let alone sign needed starters at center, running back, linebacker and cornerback.

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Coaches, Contracts

The show goes on, but Schneider and Carroll must improve

January 12, 2021 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider apparently did not want to leave Seattle, as scuttlebutt had intimated, and it is no surprise that Jody Allen gave him a five-year extension (probably with a big pay hike).

So the Schneider-Pete Carroll show continues uninterrupted, 11 years and counting. But they both need to improve their job performance if the Seahawks are ever going to be true contenders again.

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Week 15: At Washington

Hawks pass big test and can win West this week

December 21, 2020 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks passed the Washington test – and surprisingly passed the Rams in the NFC West in the process.

The 20-15 win over Washington was one of the Seahawks’ best wins of the season – right up there with the win over Arizona. With the Rams stunningly becoming the Jets’ first victim of the season, it put the Hawks on top in the NFC West. A win at home vs. L.A. this week would clinch the division for the Hawks.

“Next week will be another championship game for us,’’ Pete Carroll said. “Just what we’ve been preparing for.’’

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Contracts, The roster, Trades

‘This is just the start’: Dunlap is a keeper, extensions expected

November 23, 2020 cc 2 Comments

It took almost two years, but it looks like John Schneider finally found Seattle’s next star pass rusher. And he had better plan to keep him beyond 2021.

In three short games, veteran star Carlos Dunlap has proven to be everything we expected — a grand steal of a deal from the Bengals – and he clearly should be in Seattle’s plans next year and beyond.

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Week 11: Arizona

Hawks find balance with total team win over Arizona

November 19, 2020 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks needed this win. They needed to avoid the first three-game losing streak of Russell Wilson’s career. They needed to beat Arizona to get a big win in the NFC West and finally beat another good team after losing to three over the last four weeks.

They got it thanks to a balanced offensive attack and a defense that played its best game of the season, finishing with a big sack by Carlos Dunlap that gave the Hawks a 28-21 win.

Dunlap tallied two sacks, three QB hits and two tackles for loss against Kyler Murray and company. His second sack finished Murray and the Cardinals on their final try for the end zone.

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Week 11: Arizona

Can Wilson avoid first three-game losing streak?

November 18, 2020 cc Leave a comment

Russell Wilson has never lost three straight games, but he faces the biggest test of that streak ever on Thursday against Arizona.

The Cardinals have won four of the last five in Seattle, all coming in Week 10 or later. And they’re on a hot streak, having won four out of five – including a Hail Murray win over Buffalo on Sunday. That is the same Bills team that put up a Pete Carroll era-worst 44 points against Seattle two Sundays ago.

If the Seahawks lose this game, they will drop to 6-4 and basically be two games behind Arizona, thanks to a sweep. Seattle has an easy slate the rest of the way, with three NFC Least teams, the Jets and the battered 49ers. But the Hawks need to show they can beat good teams.

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Contracts, Trades, Week 9: At Buffalo

Dunlap: ‘I’ve got plenty of years left’

November 4, 2020 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider tried to fix his pass-rush mess by the trade deadline Tuesday, but he couldn’t add another guy, so Carlos Dunlap will shoulder the load as he tries to elevate that part of Seattle’s game.

It starts this week in Buffalo, and Pete Carroll said he expects Dunlap to jump immediately into the fray.

Schneider also reportedly tried to add Aldon Smith from Dallas, and you can bet he called on Atlanta’s Takk McKinley and maybe the Jets’ Jordan Jenkins as he looked for cheap help along the D-line. Dunlap was the only guy he could snag for the price he was willing to pay.

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Week 8: San Francisco, X's & O's

Carroll on blitzing: ‘It’s going to happen some more’

November 2, 2020 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are going to continue to put the heat on quarterbacks via the blitz, Pete Carroll says.

Led by Bobby Wagner’s two sacks and four QB hits, the Seahawks blitzed on 23 of the 49ers’ 45 dropbacks (51%) — their highest rate since 2010, per ESPN Stats & Info. The Hawks had been blitzing about 24% of the time before that this season.

“I thought that the pressure we threw at them helped everybody,” Carroll said. “We just decided to take a little turn. Obviously, we’re trying to figure some things out to get better, and we just put it on the fellas. … With Jamal (Adams) coming back next, it’s going to happen some more.”

That’s good news.

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The roster

Harrison, Dunlap and green all expected to play next week

November 1, 2020 cc Leave a comment

Impatient Seahawks fans and media made a big stink when Damon Harrison was not one of the two practice squad guys called up Saturday. And Harrison put the Snacks-down on all of them.

“All of these theories of why I’m not playing are funny as hell. Y’all reaching. (Bryan) Mone and Poona (Ford) are playing really well. What did y’all expect? You think I didn’t know the situation before I arrived? I’m here because I WANT to be, not because I HAVE to be.”

Keep in mind Harrison has been in Seattle just three weeks. Everyone else had five weeks to get ready for the season. So there is no reason to wonder why he has not been called up from the practice squad yet.

“I don’t owe anybody an explanation for anything,” Harrison said. “I’m working every day and that’s all that matters. No, I’m not out of shape. I’m just not ready to play in a game YET. I’ve been doing this nine years. I know my body. I’m good.”

So Harrison agrees with Pete Carroll that he isn’t quite ready. Expect him to be next week, when he, Jamal Adams, Carlos Dunlap and Rasheem Green all should provide reinforcements for Seattle’s sagging defense in Buffalo.

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