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Carlos Dunlap to Green Bay seems very logical
Would defensive end Carlos Dunlap be a good fit for the Packers? Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Dunlap to Green Bay seems very logical

Last season, the Packers got at least nine sacks from both Rashan Gary and Preston Smith on the edge. But after them, backups Jonathan Garvin and Tipa Galeai combined for just 2.5 sacks all season. GM Brian Gutekunst did select South Carolina's Kingsley Enagbare in the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft. Enagbare finished last season with 16 QB hits (leading the Power Five) and also finished third in the Power Five in pass-rush win-rate. He has talent but will experience a learning curve as a rookie. With not a lot of years remaining in the Aaron Rodgers era, the team needs to make "win-now" moves. Adding a veteran edge-rusher like Carlos Dunlap would give Green Bay a really solid, deep trio of edge-rushers.

Dunlap, 33, spent the first 11-plus years of his career in Cincinnati. He earned two Pro Bowl selections and recorded 82.5 sacks for the Bengals, which is good for second in the team's history. He later would be traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He became a free agent after 2021, but not after 13.5 sacks and 28 QB hits in 25 games with Pete Carroll's team. The 13-year veteran is now looking for a new home, and hopefully a Super Bowl to go with it.

This is where the Green Bay Packers need to come in. They have $17M in cap space. They are one of the elite teams in the NFC and the NFL. Aaron Rodgers is their quarterback. They have won 41 games over the last three seasons. They have had back-to-back top-10 defenses and are looking to build off of an impressive 2021 campaign. They have stars and studs at every level of the defense. The only thing the Packers need to address is depth on the edge. Rashan Gary and Preston Smith are a very good duo, but adding a longtime veteran like Dunlap would solidify the pass-rush and defense as a whole. A one-year deal for both parties has virtually no risk. 

The trio of Gary, Smith and Dunlap would strike fear into opposing quarterbacks and make this Packers defense reach Super Bowl levels. Terms should be struck if Green Bay wants to win it all.   

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