Getty GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 09: Zach Ertz #86 of the Arizona Cardinals catches the ball in front of Josh Jones #42 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
In the wake of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks made a pair of transactions, including bringing back a player at a much-needed position.
According to Seahawks PR on Twitter, the team made a pair of moves on Tuesday after draft weekend. The first move was re-signing safety Josh Jones, with the corresponding move being the release of defensive tackle Niles Scott.
The @Seahawks made two roster moves this afternoon.
t.co/LwJfsdQkZ1
After not taking a single safety in the draft, the Seahawks only had five players on the roster at the position prior to bringing back Jones. Those four safeties were Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Ryan Neal, Ugo Amadi, and Marquise Blair. Bringing back Jones will give the Seahawks another safety to work with heading into training camp.
Josh Jones Made a Solid Impression in 2021 Season Finale
Jones signed to the Seahawks practice squad in Week 15 of the 2021 season after appearing in six games with the Indianapolis Colts. He appeared in four game as a practice squad elevation, even starting in the team’s Week 18 finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
The 27-year-old safety made a strong impression in his first significant action for the Seahawks in that game against Arizona. He finished with 10 total tackles and and a pass breakup, but the advanced stats look even stronger.
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According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Jones posted a solid 69.0 overall grade on 53 total snaps played. He was targeted four times in coverage, but allowed just two receptions for 21 yards.
Jones was a second-round pick back in 2017, selected by the Green Bay Packers. He played in 29 games over two seasons with Green Bay, racking up 126 total tackles, one interception, and three sacks. After being waived by the Packers in 2019, Jones joined the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.
The former NC State safety became a full-time starter once again in 2020 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started 13 games, racking up a career-high 83 tackles along with one interception.
Could Josh Jones Make the Final 53-Man Roster?
Given how thin the Seahawks are at the safety position, Jones will have an opportunity to prove himself during training camp and preseason. That doesn’t guarantee him a spot on the final 53-man roster, however.
Adams and Diggs are the de facto starters in the secondary for Seattle, but there will certainly be battles for the backups. Diggs also may not be ready to play Week 1 after suffering a gruesome injury in the season finale. He’s been in good spirits since the injury, fortunately, even joking about trying to land a TV contract this offseason.
Neal and Blair will be the early favorites to stay on the roster given their tenure with Seattle. Both backups have been with the Seahawks since 2019, and Blair was drafted by Seattle back in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. That being said, neither Neal or Blair have done much to stand out during their time in the league.
Time will tell whether or not Jones will make the final roster. With the injury to Diggs, backups like Jones will have every opportunity to prove themselves on the practice field, whether that’s during OTAs, training camp, or the preseason.