Former Florida Gators DE Carlos Dunlap Traded From Cincinnati
A key cog in the machine that was the Florida Gators 2008 national championship machine, defensive end Carlos Dunlap has been traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Seattle Seahawks as the 2020 NFL trade deadline approaches, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Seattle will send offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a seventh-round pick to Cincinnati in exchange for Dunlap.
Dunlap, 31, has been a consistently disruptive defensive lineman for Cincinnati over the last decade and has been considered one of the best players at his position since his 13.5-sack 2015 season, which resulted in his first of two Pro Bowl appearances.
In his 11-season career to date, Dunlap has tallied 82.5 sacks, 103 tackles for loss, 490 total tackles, 20 forced fumbles, two interceptions which were both returned for touchdowns, and 60 defended passes.
As Cincinnati is in the midst of a rebuild with head coach Zac Taylor and first overall pick, quarterback Joe Burrow, leading the charge, Dunlap has been on the outside-looking-in in regards to the team's long-term plans. Currently in the middle of a three-year, $40.6 million deal, while the Bengals look to build upon their $25.6 million in 2021 cap space (per Over the Cap), Dunlap's trade should free up over $11 million which the Bengals can use to add younger talent at one or multiple spots in free agency.
In return, the 5-1 Seahawks get a player that may not be in his prime but offers an immediate impact for a team looking to contend in this year's playoffs. Seattle ranks 27th in the NFL in sacks this season, meaning Dunlap's addition could be what it takes to make the Seahawks a legitimate threat to push for the NFC Championship.
During his three-year UF career, in which he earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2009 and the Defensive MVP of the 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship Game, Dunlap recorded 84 tackles, 19.5 sacks, and 26 tackles for loss. The Bengals selected Dunlap with the 54th pick in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 3.
