Overated starter/Underated starter

[SErebel11]

(05-04-2020, 07:08 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Overated - Carlos Dunlap

This was an extremely easy pick for me.  I couldn't have typed it quick enough.

Now, let me say this first:  I do think Dunlap is a quality DE, and I do think (at times) he's very good.  He's also more than adequate in the run game, which is an often overlooked attribute at the position.  I am NOT at all saying he's terrible.

My biggest gripe with him is the fact he disappears for games at a time.  And this isn't a new issue either.  Maybe, I'm in the minority here, but it's clear to me he's a guy that takes plays, and even games off.  For way too long of stretches.  The first half of the last year he was nowhere to be found.  Yet in typical Dunlap fashion, he has a couple monster games to pad his stats, so they don't look so poor, and to remind people he can play.

Depsite this, it seems most of our fans absolutely love the guy.  To each their own, but I've never thought he's been worth near what he's been paid.

At the time of his contracts he usually been paid top 10 money.  Even now, I believe he's still like #15 in salary years removed from an older contract.

Did you know he's only hit double digit sacks once in his career?  Once.  10 sacks being the threshold.  Not 15 or 20. 10.  He's only done it a single time in TEN YEARS.  He's averaged only 8 sacks a season, despite seeing immediate PT and never missing significant time.

How many DE's get pad elite money with single digit sacks?  A.) Not many.  How many DE's continue to get paid elite money, and keep getting extensions, despite averaging 8 sacks? A.) Not many/None

Dunlap is a good player, who is often paid like a great player.  Dunlap can be great when he wants to.  The problem is, for wahatever, reasons he goes into multi-game stretches where he's a non-factor.

I like him as a player, but don't love the price.  And I don't understand the universal love here either.  If I were to say perhaps we should move on a trade a  31 year old who averages 8 sacks many here would have a conniption fit.

That's why he's an easy choice for me here. (Please, don't kill me)  

I think sacks has it's place but it's an odd way to define an entire edge player.
Dunlap was the number 3 overall edge player against the run last season with a grade of 89. In fact, he was 4th overall edge in grade on pff. Dunlap's extremely good against the run. Furthermore, he has batted down a whopping 38 passes in the last 4 seasons. Now for me, all sacks are not the same. Some are coverage sacks, some are the other guy causes the pressure and the QB ends up sliding to a blocked guy and getting sacked, bad snaps can cause sacks, some kind of mixup in the offense can cause a sack (blown assignment, center trips the QB under center, HB goes the wrong way on a run play, etc etc). Some sacks are 1-2 yard losses. So I guess my thought on this is that 38 batted passes is worth around a half a sack each maybe more. If it's 3rd and 5 and he knocks down a quick slant then that is really the same outcome as a sack.