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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE – Before veteran defender Carlos Dunlap wanted to sign with the Seattle Seahawks again last month, he wanted to make sure Russell Wilson would still be their fullback.
Dunlap said he got the insurance from Wilson himself.
Dunlap spoke to reporters for the first time about a two-year deal via video conference since returning to Seattle, paraphrasing his conversation with Wilson.
“I did ask him if he would be with us, of course, because if I come back, I will come back because I see him as my quarterback, and the rest of the team I want to pick up where we left off,” Dunlap said on Tuesday. “And he told me he was with us and he was here to stay, and he said, ‘Let’s go, Falcons.’ “I am not going to quote every word for him. These words are not his words, but they are my explanation of how I interpreted what he said.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported at the start of the free agency last month that the Chicago Bears had made a “very aggressive pursuit” of Wilson, but they were told that Seattle was not trading him at the time. The Bears were one of four teams for which Wilson’s agent Mark Rodgers had earlier told Schefter that the quarterback would play if the Seahawks handled him.
The others were the Dallas Cowboys (who have since extended Dak Prescott’s contract), Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints. A source recently told ESPN Wilson has no plans to expand his team list. He has a non-trade clause that may veto any trade destination.
A source told ESPN that Wilson encouraged co-driver Chris Carson to sign with the Seahawks again. Dunlap said he and Wilson were in regular contact during the time the Seahawks released Dunlap in early March until they agreed to re-sign him 2 weeks later, during the second week of free agency.
“A lot of teams showed interest, but only the real participants really made presentations,” Dunlap said. “But I wanted to be in Seattle, and when Seattle’s offer came, I can tell you this: the agreement was made within 24 hours after they offered to sign me.”
Dunlap’s two-year deal is worth $ 13.6 million with $ 8.5 million in guarantees. The two-time Pro Bowler would earn $ 14.1 million before his release. Dunlap said the Seahawks made it clear when they acquired him in a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in October last year that they might have to release him after the season. He cited transparency as one of the reasons he wanted to return to Seattle.
‘They were very transparent and that’s something I appreciate from day one. When we did the signing and trading, they let me know that it was a possible step in the [offseason], and when it actually happened, yes, it still hit differently, because I’ve never been cut before, “he said. But they were still very transparent. They wanted me to know that they wanted to get me back, only that was one of the moves they had to make because of the situation in which they were cap-out. ‘
Dunlap will still be no. 43 with the Seahawks.
“I intend to keep going where we left off and make it better,” he said. “It means I keep the same number. One of the things you will learn from me is that I’m a habit. I like to finish what I started, and I feel like I have a lot of unfinished work. to do. be ready. “