sports.mynorthwest.com

Seahawks GM gives update on Ernest Jones IV's knee, contract talks

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed Thursday during his weekly show on Seattle Sports that Ernest Jones IV underwent knee surgery after the 2024 season, but called it “not a big deal” and remains confident the team will be able to re-sign the soon-to-be free agent linebacker.

Seahawks GM details where they are on DK Metcalf trade talks

Schneider was asked about Jones in response to an article by the Seattle Times beat reporter Bob Condotta on Wednesday. Condotta reported that Jones had a cleanup surgery on his knee shortly after the season and that he’s expected to return to football activities by June.

“He just had a little cleanup after the season,” Schneider told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Thursday. “Not much of a big deal. He’s here. He’s working with (our training staff). He’s here getting ready.

“And we continue to have conversations with his representatives, and hopefully we can knock this out pretty soon.”

Jones, a 2024 midseason trade acquisition who played a major role in the Seahawks’ dramatic defensive turnaround, is set to become an unrestricted free agent next week after playing out his rookie contract this past season. NFL.com ranks Jones as the 25th-best potential free agent, including the fourth-best linebacker.

Over the past few months, both sides have emphasized their desire to get a new deal done.

One day after the season finale in early January, Jones told Wyman and Bob he was “pretty confident” that he’d be wearing a Seahawks uniform again in 2025.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to grow with this group, because I believe we have something special,” Jones said.

And at last week’s NFL combine, Schneider reiterated that re-signing Jones is a major priority for the franchise.

“Really important for us,” Schneider said in an interview with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “He did a great job when he came in. He’s just got a natural leadership about him and a very instinctive football player.”

Jones’ impact last season

The Seahawks acquired Jones in an Oct. 23 trade that sent season-opening starting linebacker Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans. It was part of a whirlwind stretch for Jones, who played his first three seasons for the Los Angeles Rams before being traded to Tennessee on Aug. 27.

Jones made an immediate impact in Seattle, taking over as the team’s defensive signal caller and helping stabilize their struggling defense.

Through the first eight weeks of the season, Seattle ranked 19th in points allowed per game (24.4) and 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (148.4). But the unit hit its stride shortly after Jones entered the fold, ranking fifth in points allowed per game (19.2) and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (96.2) over the final 10 weeks.

From Week 9 through Week 18, Jones ranked 18th out of 85 linebackers in Pro Football Focus‘ run defense grading and was tied for 19th among linebackers with 25 run stops.

Related: Huard: What surgery news means for Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks

In the week leading up to January’s season finale, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald heaped praise on Jones and called him a “great fit.”

“We love him,” Macdonald said. “He’s a great player and there’s a poise to how he operates, which I respect. I think the guy loves football. Those are the guys that do really well here. He would do great in a lot of organizations, probably every organization, but I think he’s a great fit here.

“We love him, and I think he loves it here too. It’s been great so far.”

The John Schneider Show airs at 4 p.m. each Thursday during Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob leading up to the first round of the NFL Draft on April 24. Hear this week’s full episode at this link or in the player near the top of this post.