The best in-season decision the Seattle Seahawks made in 2024 was acquiring linebacker Ernest Jones IV from the Tennessee Titans in a trade deadline deal. Jones arrived in Seattle and completely transformed their struggling off-ball linebacker room. He’s totaled 85 tackles in just nine appearances with the team this season.
Jones was traded twice this year, first from the Los Angeles Rams to Tennessee before being dealt to Seattle. The Rams and Titans both traded Jones essentially because he’s in a contract year. Sean McVay wasn’t confident they could re-sign him, and the rebuilding Titans preferred the draft capital in exchange for a talent they weren’t sure would stick around.
The situation is different in Seattle. Jones helped the Seahawks make a valiant postseason push down the stretch. And with uncertainty looming, Jones told reporters on Wednesday that his preference is to remain with the Seahawks in unrestricted free agency.
“Everything’s going that way, the coaches [have expressed] they like me, I love it here, and I would love to be here,” Jones told reporters when asked about the state of his expiring contract. “As far as a [contract] extension or [testing] free agency, I’m kind of just letting my agent handle it, let this [Seahawks] organization handle it. Hopefully we can get something done.”
Yes, Ernest Jones wants a new contract to stay with the #Seahawks beyond Sunday at his ex-Rams.
(All signs are they will re-sign him.)
He says while things are trending that way for him to re-sign with Seattle, he’s leaving that to his agent. @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/w3vvx0laP2
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) January 1, 2025
Jones earned a base salary of $3.1 million this season, according to OverTheCap. He’s due a fairly significant pay raise via a multi-year deal. The Seahawks should attempt to re-sign Jones, who was a difference maker for Mike Macdonald’s defense throughout 2024.
