How Good Has LB Ernest Jones IV Been in 2 Games With Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks traded for linebacker Ernest Jones IV before Week 8. So far, the deal is paying dividends.

Connor Benintendi | Nov 7, 2024

Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) rushes for a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Two games into linebacker Ernest Jones IV’s Seattle Seahawks career, it’s clear the team has a linebacker of the future if they can secure him to a long-term deal.

Jones, who was acquired via trade from the Tennessee Titans mere days before Seattle’s Week 8 game against the Buffalo Bills, was sound in his debut and excellent versus the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald — a former linebackers coach — saw a deficiency, addressed it and his defense is better for it. Now, the challenge will be shoveling out enough cash to keep Jones on the Seahawks at the end of the season, despite his assertion he would “love to be in Seattle” for the long haul.

That was before Jones played a snap for the Seahawks, so he also has to feel good about the direction the team is heading. But his rookie deal is up after the 2024 season, and he could be asking for upwards of $15 million per year, which would make him a top-5 highest-paid linebacker in the league.

Jones said on Oct. 31 he’s already becoming close friends with fellow linebacker Tyrel Dodson, and he’s quickly feeling his voice heard in the meeting rooms.

“This organization, this team, these players, they give that comfortability. They want to win,” Jones said. “They have high standards, and expectations and so do I coming in here, nothing has changed. [We] want to dominate the run, want to get out on the ball, be physical, rush the passer, and those are the things that I speak up on and that they’ve allowed me to just because they’re willing to listen.”

From his pair of performances so far, the prospective asking price would be worth it in a post-Bobby Wagner era, even with the other extensions the team will need to dish out and the struggling personnel along the offensive line. Jones should become a priority, especially after trading for him.

Jones recorded a career-high 15 tackles in his Seahawks debut after just four days of being in Seattle. After a full week of practicing with the team, though it wasn’t his impact alone, the Seahawks allowed just 68 rushing yards to the Los Angeles Rams. They had been giving up 148 rush yards per game through the first eight games.

That strong showing was aided by a much more disciplined performance by the defensive line, but Jones frequently was flying to the football in run defense.

“I did feel like he made a couple of racing-type tackles when the ball wasn’t stopped at the line of scrimmage. That was big for us,” Macdonald said postgame on Sunday. “But just excited to have him. Guy does a great job. He’s one of us.”

Jones tied for the team-high in stops (3) — tackles that constitute a failure for the offense — per Pro Football Focus, with cornerback Devon Witherspoon and defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. He also tied with Dodson for the team lead in tackles (9).

PFF grades fall well short of telling the whole story, but Jones was also the third-highest graded linebacker in run defense in Week 9 (85.7) and led all Seahawks defenders in that category, overall defense (83.4) and tackling (82.5).

“It’s good when you’ve got the same crew out there and you’re able to stack a lot of reps next to each other,” Macdonald said on Monday. “But at the linebacker spot, it felt like they took a step last night, especially Ernest.”

Seattle’s current outlook and path to a playoff spot is murky, with the team dropping five of their last six games and now sitting at 4-5 during their bye week. However, securing pieces like Jones long-term will help Macdonald and his defense get where they’re trying to go.

The Seahawks didn’t have Jones the first time they played the San Francisco 49ers, but that will be their first task once returning from the bye in Week 11. Jones, who played for the Rams his first three seasons in the NFL, is no stranger to the Niners.