‘Playmaker’ Dunbar fits mold of Seattle’s defensive backfield

RENTON, WASH. » Quinton Dunbar got a wish fulfilled when an ongoing contract dispute with Washington landed him in a place with a pretty good history of fielding standout cornerbacks.

Seattle is going to be his home for at least one season and he feels he has a chance to make a mark with the Seahawks.

“When I first heard about the trade I was excited,” Dunbar said during a video conference Thursday. “I mean, better fit, better coaching. They are a winning culture — obviously been winning for a while. I feel like their defense is who I am. … Growing up watching (Richard) Sherman and (Brandon) Browner and those types of guys. You know, that’s who I tried to model my game after once I made the transition. So it was a perfect fit for me.”

Rather than address its cornerback needs through free agency or the draft, the Seahawks landed one of the top young cornerbacks in the league through a trade in March. Seattle sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Redskins to land Dunbar, who was coming off the best season of his young career and was also eager to get out of Washington.

At 6-foot-2 with long arms, Dunbar fits the mold of the cornerbacks Seattle likes to have in its defensive system. He also has the skill. Dunbar had a careerbest four interceptions last season for the Redskins. He has started 17 of the past 18 games he’s played for Washington, but missed five games last season with a hamstring injury.

“He’s a playmaker and we need depth at corner and we need to cover people up and we need to be able to match up really well,” coach Pete Carroll said. “Division continues to get more difficult and challenging. Excellent players coming in. And so for us to figure out a chance to get to Quinton and all that is great.”

Seattle clearly has a plan for Dunbar, which for now means teaching him how to play right cornerback in its defensive system. That decision only reinforces the belief when the trade was made that there will be a competition with Tre Flowers for the starting role. Shaquill Griffin is entrenched as the starter on the left side.

Dunbar’s experience playing multiple spots while in Washington could also give Seattle some defensive flexibility. Dunbar had times with the Redskins where by formation he would end up playing the slot cornerback role.