Dre'Mont Jones on Seahawks' Courtship: 'We Chose Each Other'
RENTON, Wash. - Back in March 2022, with negotiations heating up on an eventual Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks wanted to include defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones as part of the deal.
Unfortunately, at the time, Denver wasn't about to give up an ascending talent in Jones, who still had one year remaining on his rookie contract and looked to part of the organization's future. Unable to get general manager George Paton to budge, Seattle wound up settling for Shelby Harris as one of three veterans included in the trade along with two first round picks, two second round picks, and a fifth round pick.
Fast forward 13 months later and much to the dismay of the Broncos, Jones has found his way to the Pacific Northwest anyway. After the Seahawks unexpectedly came in with a strong financial offer for his services on the first day of free agency on March 13, he quickly agreed to terms with the franchise on a three-year, $51.53 million deal.
Reflecting on what he called a "long day," Jones said Seattle's interest came from out of nowhere. But as other teams pitched offers, with money, scheme, and other key factors matching his desires, the match was perfect.
"It's kind of like being a kid at a candy store," Jones told reporters via Zoom. "Got a whole bunch of different options coming at you and a whole bunch of different crazy things. And you only get to choose one. We both chose each other and I'm loving Seattle so far. I like these colors."
One of the most productive young interior pass rushers in the NFL, it's not difficult to see why Seahawks general manager John Schneider had interest in Jones being included in the package for Wilson a little over a year ago.
Drafted in the third round out of Ohio State in 2019, Jones only played in 31 percent of the Broncos defensive snaps as a rookie. But he flashed with limited opportunities in Vic Fangio's 3-4 scheme, producing 3.5 sacks, an interception, and two pass deflections, setting the stage for him to take on an expanded role moving forward.
Earning more than double the snap workload in 2020 while playing multiple spots along the defensive line, Jones racked up 41 tackles and 6.5 sacks, finishing third on the team in that category. He also produced 30 quarterback pressures and two batted passes, emerging as a viable interior rushing threat.
Dating back to that breakout sophomore campaign, even while missing a handful of games due to injuries, Jones has amassed at least 5.5 sacks and 30 quarterback pressures in three consecutive seasons. Last season, per Pro Football Focus, he finished 11th in the NFL among defensive linemen with 45 pressures and ranked 10th overall in pass rush win rate, putting him ahead of the likes of Jeffery Simmons, J.J. Watt, and Deron Payne.
With the Seahawks adopting a similar hybrid 3-4 scheme to the one Fangio has become famous for deploying over the years under coordinator Clint Hurtt last season, the fit stood out as a natural one for both parties.
"In the long run, Seattle seemed to be the greatest spot to be from a schematic standpoint," Jones explained. "I don't know the ins and outs of what I'm going to be doing yet, so I'll wait and see. But with everything going on, Seattle seemed like the best fit."
Set to begin the next step in his career as a Seahawk, Jones will join a revamped defensive line full of new faces. Since the start of March, in addition to their rare big ticket signing, the team has moved on from Harris, Quinton Jefferson, and Al Woods as cap casualties and also brought back veteran Jarran Reed, who spent his first five NFL seasons with the franchise before playing the previous two seasons with the Chiefs and Packers.
Though he hasn't yet learned of his defined role in Seattle and how the coaching staff plans to utilize him, the transition shouldn't be a difficult one for Jones given his prior background in the system and positional versatility.
As he clarified on Monday, Jones played a fair amount of nose tackle in 1-tech alignment during his rookie season despite being undersized for the position. But starting in 2020, he spent the majority of his time slid outside either covering the B gap in 3-tech alignment or covering the tackle in 5-tech alignment.
Not surprisingly, Jones explained that he feels he's at his best playing in those wider alignments, which allow him to maximize his athleticism and strengths as a pass rusher at 281 pounds. Based on how the Seahawks used their personnel a year ago, he likely will be used in the same roles in their defense.
"I played a lot of different positions in Denver. Early in my career, I played zero [technique]. I played three, two, one. I'm definitely more comfortable in a shaded position, mainly being a 3-technique and 5-technique. That's where I found myself to be more comfortable, whether I'm standing up or not, or it's run or pass. Those seem to be my best fit."
Excited to tour his new city in coming months and get started on the field, Jones will now face lofty expectations after signing the largest free agent deal ever handed out by Schneider. From the get go, the team and fan base will expect him to provide a star presence in the middle, helping transform a Seattle defense that finished 31st defending the run and struggled to find consistency rushing quarterbacks.
But while that may seem like an immense amount of pressure, Jones has always viewed himself as an underdog and isn't sweating it. After feeling like the Broncos failed to respect him for what he accomplished in his first four NFL seasons, he's excited to show them and the rest of the NFL what he's fully capable of donning blue and green for the Seahawks in a familiar scheme catered to his strengths.
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