Seahawks CB Quinton Dunbar Removed From Commissioner's Exempt List
For those wondering when Quinton Dunbar would be allowed to join the Seahawks for training camp, the NFL wasted little time providing an answer.
After reports surfaced on Friday that Dunbar wouldn't be charged for his alleged involvement in an armed robbery due to lack of evidence, the league will remove the veteran cornerback from the commissioner's exempt list on Sunday. According to Dunbar's personal Instagram account, the veteran defender will travel to Seattle on Sunday to begin testing protocol with hopes of practicing next week.
It's a major development for the Seahawks, who shipped a fifth-round pick to Washington in March to acquire Dunbar, viewing him as an upgrade across from starter Shaquill Griffin. Last year, he produced four interceptions in 11 games and earned the second-highest grade from Pro Football Focus behind any cornerback not named Richard Sherman.
However, after being arrested in mid-May, Dunbar's status had been uncertain for several months with little movement in the case due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent reports indicating attorney Michael Grieco had helped stage pay offs for witnesses to recant their original statements didn't help matters, further casting doubts about his playing future.
But now that Dunbar's name has been cleared and he won't be charged, the door has been opened for him to return to football-related activities immediately, providing another talented defender to Seattle's new-look secondary. Along with acquiring Dunbar, general manager John Schneider also pulled off a blockbuster sending two first-round picks to the Jets for safety Jamal Adams last month.
With Dunbar and Adams joining forces with Griffin and free safety Quandre Diggs, a strong argument can be made the Seahawks secondary will not only be the most improved, but may be one of the top units in the entire league in 2020.
Moving forward, there's still a chance the NFL could suspend Dunbar based on its own private internal investigations. The Seahawks were burned by this last year when defensive tackle Jarran Reed was suspended six games for a domestic violence incident from 2018.
Still, after weeks of speculation about whether he would be able to wear a Seahawks uniform at all, both Dunbar and the team couldn't have asked for better news. And considering how quickly the league removed him from the exempt list, that may be a good sign when it comes to the possibility of future punishment.
