Carlos Dunlap has operated as a consistently productive pass rusher from the minute he hit the NFL. That won't be enough in 2016.
The Cincinnati Bengals end has set his sights on something loftier: breaking Michael Strahan's NFL-record 22.5 sacks from 2001.
"It's hard to get (20 or more)," Dunlap said, per ESPN.com's Coley Harvey. "Most of the guys who get those 20 sacks, they're like the only one (on their team) at plus-10. When you've got three guys who can get 10 sacks and a nose tackle who can get five, it's spreading the wealth. So that's good for our team."
It also makes breaking Strahan's record a challenge. With Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson and Domata Peko all able to chase the passer, the Bengals don't need Dunlap to be a one-man show. Dunlap, though, led the team in takedowns last season (with 13.5) and remains a logical choice to top the Bengals again.
Last season, J.J. Watt led the NFL with 17.5 sacks, one year after Justin Houston came within a hair of taking the belt with 22 takedowns. It's a record that's bound to fall, and Dunlap isn't the only one focused on it. In Detroit, Lions defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has also tasked end Ziggy Ansah with 20 sacks for 2016.
It's June. Everybody's planning to shatter defensive records, rush for 2,000 yards and go all season without throwing a pick. September will arrive, though, and bring a dose of reality to summer's flood of predictable tropes.
