Dunlap returning to Seahawks, but Reed to exit

SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks are re-signing defensive end Carlos Dunlap, and a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the team is expected to let go of defensive tackle Jarran Reed via a trade or a release.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus told Schefter that Dunlap’s deal is for two years and $16.6 million with $8.5 million guaranteed.

The 32-year-old Dunlap became a free agent when Seattle released him earlier this month in a move that saved $14.1 million in cap space but also left the Seahawks without one of their most impactful defensive linemen.

Dunlap had helped ignite their pass-rush when he arrived in an October trade from the Cincinnati Bengals, but his $14.1 million cap number was prohibitive. Dunlap had agreed to restructure his contract in order to facilitate the trade to Seattle and did so with the understanding that the Seahawks would release him and let him test free agency if they couldn’t agree to an extension.

The Seahawks thought when they released Dunlap that they would have a chance to re-sign him to a more team-friendly deal.

Dunlap’s return and Reed’s expected departure are part of a significant shakeup on the Seahawks’ defensive line. They agreed to a deal earlier this week to bring back one pass-rusher in Benson Mayowa and added another in Kerry Hyde.

Reed signaled his apparent goodbye to the Seahawks on Thursday, writing on Twitter:

It’s been real 12s💙✌🏿 tomorrow at 1 it’s official … on to the next chapter

— jarran reed (@jarranreed) March 25, 2021

The 28-year-old Reed has one year remaining on his contract, which is set to count nearly $14 million against the cap. The Seahawks would save nearly $9 million against the cap by trading or releasing Reed while incurring $5 million in dead money.

A second-round pick in 2016 out of Alabama, Reed was known as primarily a run-stuffer his first two seasons but then broke out for 10.5 sacks in 2018. He began the 2019 season by serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy and finished the year with two sacks in 10 games.

The Seahawks gave Reed a two-year, $23 million deal last March, betting that he could recapture his 2018 form. He had something of a bounce-back season with 6.5 sacks in 16 games.