Bengals begin potential fire sale with trade of Carlos Dunlap to Seattle

Carlos Dunlap wanted out of Cincinnati and he got his wish with a trade to the Seahawks.

Sometimes if you wish hard enough, things fall in line for you. For Carlos Dunlap, his wish just came true.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cincinnati Bengals have trade Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a seventh-round pick. The trade is expected to go through at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Following Cincinnati’s heartbreaking 37-34 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dunlap put himself on the market, all but asking for a trade from the franchise. Wednesday morning, the team told him to stay home rather than come to the facility as the team worked out his future new home. Ultimately, Dunalp’s time in Cincinnati ends on a less than stellar note.

To add insult to injury, Dunlap posted a video on Instagram of leaving his parking spot one final time at the facility near Paul Brown Stadium.

For the Seahawks, this should bolster the defensive line in an already weak defense under Ken Norton Jr. Despite sitting with a 5-1 record, there are concerns about the team’s status as legitimate contenders due to their limits in the trenches. Through six games, the Seahawks have only tallied eight total sacks.

A win-win for Carlos Dunlap and the Seattle Seahawks

Dunlap will receive a fresh start after seeing his production diminish in the Jungle. Against Cleveland, the Pro Bowl defensive end played just 11 defensive snaps, his fewest of the season. With Seattle, he’ll likely be named a starter following Week 8 and be geared up to face off against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9.

It seems the move was inventible for the Bengals with the way their 2020 season is headed. Sitting at 1-5-1, Zac Taylor’s squad hasn’t found a rhythm on either side of the ball outside of rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. With a fire sale expected, Dunlap could be just one of the many names leaving Cincinnati before the trade deadline ends on Nov. 3.

In 11 seasons with the Bengals, Dunlap finished with 490 total tackles, 103 tackles for losses, 82.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries and two interceptions.