Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
The Seattle Seahawks were open for business but did not get an enticing offer for former starting cornerback Sidney Jones. Shortly after the November 1 trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. Eastern, the Seahawks announced the team had released Jones, allowing him to sign with another team.
Seattle decided that the financial savings was worth more to the franchise than having insurance in case of an unexpected injury as the team approached the stretch run for the postseason. Jones signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Seahawks over the offseason and was expected to be one of the starting corners.
The Seahawks Save $40,000 Per Game in Bonuses by Releasing Jones: Report
Instead, rookies Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant earned their way onto the field. Veteran Mike Jackson also beat out Jones, making the former University of Washington standout expendable. Jones started 11 games for Seattle in 2021, notching 66 tackles and 10 pass deflections during his 16 appearances in 2021. According to The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, the Seahawks will not only save on Jones’ salary but also his $40,000 per game in bonuses.
“Not a big surprise. Seahawks will save $40,000 in per game roster bonuses with Jones waived,” Condotta tweeted.
The Seahawks Were Unable to Strike a Trade for Jones
Heading into the deadline, NFL Network reported that Seattle made it clear that it was willing to move Jones. The Seahawks received “some calls of inquiry” on Jones but nothing serious enough for the team to consider a trade.
“Veteran corners are tough to find, and Jones has plenty of experience,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo detailed on October 30. “He’s not expensive ($1.277 million for the rest of this season) and could fill a quick need for a CB-needy team. Seattle has received some calls of inquiry here.”
Typically, it can be hard for teams to pull off a deal if other franchises expect the player will ultimately be released. That said, Jones is expected to have a strong market, and it would not be a surprise if the corner was claimed off waivers by contenders such as the Cowboys and Bengals, who are dealing injured players in the secondary.
A trade would have allowed a team to ensure they secured Jones rather than be subject to the waiver system. Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger projected that Seattle could land a 2023 sixth-round pick by trading Jones.
That would not have been a massive haul, but the Seahawks have had success finding late-round gems in the past. Instead, the Seahawks opted to cut Jones, indicating that no such offer ever came to fruition.
The Seahawks Did Not Make a Deal at the Trade Deadline
Teams are often classified as buyers or sellers ahead of the trade deadline, and it turned out that Seattle was neither. If the Seahawks were to make a move, adding a veteran pass rusher made some sense, but the team opted to lean on their mostly young defensive core for the rest of the season.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson speculated that linebacker Jacob Martin was a name to watch in connection to Seattle. Instead, the Jets traded the defender to the Broncos in exchange for a 2024 late-round pick swap.
“NFL’s trade deadline is 1 p.m. PT. Seahawks have plenty of 2023 draft ammo, with extra picks in the first, second and fifth rounds,” Henderson said in a series of November 1 tweets. “Not as much in the way of cap space — around $3M. @JFowlerESPN reported they’ve made CB Sidney Jones available. That would free up a little money. @RichCimini named Jets OLB Jacob Martin — the ex-Seahawk — as a possible trade candidate. I haven’t heart Martin connected to Seattle of late, but I do know they tried to sign him in March. Making ~$1.5M. Could use OLB help depending on Darrell Taylor/Darryl Johnson timelines.”