Seahawks CB Quinton Dunbar to Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

Ending a tumultuous first - and possibly only - season in Seattle, Dunbar will finish his third consecutive season on injured reserve due to a chronic knee issue and enter free agency in March after appearing in just six games.

Two weeks ago, Quinton Dunbar was designated to return to practice from injured reserve and the Seahawks remained optimistic about his chances of playing again this season. But those positive vibes turned out to be short lived.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, coach Pete Carroll confirmed Dunbar would stay on injured reserve and undergo season-ending surgery in the near future to "fix" his ailing knee. He has been sidelined since a Week 9 loss to the Bills and missed a pair of games earlier in the season with the same injury.

Back in March, the Seahawks dealt a fifth-round pick to Washington for Dunbar with plans of installing him into the starting lineup opposite of Shaquill Griffin. In 2019, he finished with the second-highest grade for any cornerback via Pro Football Focus and given his size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), athleticism, and ball skills, he was viewed as a perfect fit for the team's scheme on the outside.

However, Dunbar's time with the Seahawks got off to a tumultuous start, as he and former Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker were arrested for armed robbery in Miramar, Florida in May. Those charges were eventually dropped against both players, but Baker was released by the Giants and Dunbar initially wasn't allowed to participate in training camp while he was on the commissioner's exempt list.

Once Dunbar did return to the field early in camp, he missed practice time as the team eased him back into football shape and also left the team for a few days for personal reasons. By Week 3, he was nursing a sore knee that ultimately didn't get better after sitting out wins against the Cowboys and Dolphins.

Dunbar returned to the lineup for a prime time matchup against the Vikings in Week 5, but continued to rotate with Tre Flowers at right cornerback. Four weeks later, he was clearly hobbled by his knee issue against the Bills, allowing seven receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown on eight targets before eventually being replaced by Linden Stephens in the fourth quarter.

With his season now finished, Dunbar played in six games for the Seahawks, producing 30 tackles, one interception, and five passes defensed. Visibly far from 100 percent all season, opposing quarterbacks posted a 111.0 rating when targeting him and he allowed 491 receiving yards and four touchdowns on just 35 receptions.

Injuries are nothing new for Dunbar, who has now ended three straight years on injured reserve. He hasn't played in more than 11 games in a season since 2017 and has missed a combined 24 games over the past three seasons.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent in March, Dunbar may not have much of a market coming off another injury-plagued season. But he's only 28 years old and considering how well he played when healthy in 2019, it's not out of the question Seattle could consider re-signing him on a one-year prove it deal at the right price. With a clean slate, he could still be a quality player down the road.

Nonetheless, if this does wind up being Dunbar's lone season with the Seahawks and he signs elsewhere in the offseason, it's safe to say this won't be viewed as one of general manager John Schneider's better deals. The organization took a chance on a player who has battled durability issues throughout his career and unfortunately, the move backfired.

Luckily for Seattle, D.J. Reed has emerged as a legitimate replacement option in recent weeks and Flowers will return to the practice field this week after his own three-week injured reserve stint. With those two players alongside Griffin and nickel cornerback Ugo Amadi in the secondary, the team should be in good hands heading towards the playoffs.