The Seattle Seahawks made a trade acquiring Tennessee Titans linebacker Ernest Jones IV in exchange for the team’s own starting linebacker Jerome Baker and a future fourth-round pick, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. It is one of the first significant moves we have seen under Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
The Seattle coach appears to prefer Jones over Baker, who the franchise signed to a one-year, $7 million deal this offseason. Jones is coming off a career-high 145 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks in 15 starts for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
The veteran was a part of the Rams squad that won the Super Bowl during the 2021 season. Jones was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft with the No. 103 overall selection. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones is tied for seventh in tackles for loss among linebackers through the first seven weeks of the season.
The Titans Just Made a Trade With the Rams for Ernest Jones in August
The linebacker was just traded to the Titans in August for essentially a late-round pick swap with the Rams. Tennessee gets good value in this deal by landing Baker along with a fourth rounder in the trade with Seattle.
“Seahawks are trading Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick to the Titans for Ernest Jones. I had been told Seattle was looking for linebacker upgrades,” Sports Illustrated’s Corbin Smith said in a series of October 23, 2024, messages on X. “They just landed one. Ernest Jones turns 25 next month. He’s in the prime of his career and he’s the type of athletic, ball hawking linebacker Mike Macdonald prefers.”
New Seahawks Linebacker Ernest Jones Will be a Free Agent in 2025
Seattle faces a decision on Jones’ future as the defender is in the final season of a four-year, $4.7 million rookie contract. Jones is slated to be a free agent in 2025. Heading into the 2021 draft, here is how NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein described Jones coming out of South Carolina.
“Two-down linebackers with limited speed and below-average athleticism aren’t exactly in vogue these days, but Jones has the field IQ and interior toughness to warrant consideration,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile of Jones. “He’s a blue-collar linebacker capable of handling the physical duties required of his position, but he will always have limitations in pursuit speed and coverage talent.
“He has a good feel for diagnosing blocking schemes and finding runners between the tackles, so a role as a backup inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense might be his best fit early on in his career.”
Seahawks Starting Right Tackle Abe Lucas Is Getting Closer to a Return
The Seahawks announced more good news as the team could be nearing the return of starting right tackle Abe Lucas. The offensive linemen has yet to play a game this season. Seattle announced that Lucas along with veteran tackle George Fant have been designated to return to practice.
“Lucas, who started 16 games at right tackle as a rookie in 2022, had knee surgery in January to address an injury that limited him to six games in 2023,” Seahawks.com’s John Boyle detailed in an October 23, story titled, “Abraham Lucas & George Fant Designated To Return To Practice, Sign CB Damarion Williams To Practice Squad.” “He was then placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.
“Fant, who returned to Seattle as a free agent this offseason, opened the season starting at right tackle in Lucas’ place, but injured his knee in Week 1, landing him on injured reserve. Both players can practice for up to 21 days before the Seahawks will have to make a move to add them to the 53-man roster.”
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Seahawks Trade $7 Million Starter for Former Super Bowl Champ in NFL Deal