SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks secured an important piece of their defensive scheme by finalizing a three-year agreement with linebacker Ernest Jones IV, reportedly valued at $28.5 million.
Jones was on track to enter free agency with the commencement of the new league year on Wednesday. However, following a midseason trade the previous year, he will now continue his career in Seattle.
“I’m extremely thrilled and grateful to be part of this team and what lies ahead,” Jones shared through the team’s official website on Tuesday. “We have some promising developments on the horizon, and I’m really looking forward to contributing to them.”
Jones appears to have found a long-term landing spot following two significant transitions last season. Initially, he was traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Tennessee Titans before the season began, and he later joined Seattle in October in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick and linebacker Jerome Baker.
The inclusion of Jones was pivotal in the Seahawks’ defensive resurgence under the guidance of first-year head coach Mike Macdonald. Jones swiftly assumed the role of middle linebacker upon his arrival, amassing 94 tackles, two defended passes, a forced fumble, and an interception over the course of 10 games.
With Jones as a part of the lineup, Seattle managed to concede three fewer points per game compared to prior to his acquisition.
Originally selected in the third round of the 2021 draft by the Rams, Jones was instrumental in Los Angeles’s Super Bowl triumph during his rookie season.
