Seahawks 2024 Grade Card: How Did Ernest Jones, LBs Perform?

Swapping starters in the middle of the season, the Seahawks saw dramatic improvements at the linebacker position that should bode well for the future.

Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Though Seattle Seahawks ultimately missed the playoffs in year one under coach Mike Macdonald, linebacker quickly transitioned from a major weakness on defense into a foundational strength over night thanks to shrewd personnel decisions in the middle of the season.

How much did Ernest Jones' arrival transform Seattle's defense? And did Tyrice Knight show enough as a rookie to warrant consideration as a long-term starter in the middle?

Revisiting the 2024 campaign with statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, here's a look at what went right, what went wrong, and a final grade for Seahawks linebackers:

What Went Right

Acquired from the Titans in exchange for starter Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick, Jones instantly made his mark on the Seahawks' struggling defense, helping button up one of the worst run defenses in the league as they dramatically improved from 30th to 16th in the final 10 weeks of the season. Along with finishing seventh among linebackers in solo tackles (61) and sixth in run stops (23), his 10.4 percent run stop percentage tied for fifth best among linebackers during that span.

Jones' contributions went beyond being a stout run stuffer, however, as he also impressed in a variety of ways defending the pass as a centerpiece in Macdonald's scheme upon arrival. On 57 blitz attempts, he produced nine pressures and a sack, and he intercepted a pass and produced a pass breakup in coverage, ranking in the top 16 in yards allowed per reception and passer rating against while allowing only one touchdown.

Widely viewed as a multi-year project by most draft analysts, Knight found himself thrusted into significant action early in his rookie season due to Baker suffering a hamstring injury, performing well with 15 tackles and eight run stops in his first three games. Following the departure of Tyrel Dodson prior to Week 11, he took over as a full-time starter next to Jones and continued to play above expectations for a fourth-round pick, amassing 35 tackles and six run stops in the final eight games while only missing two tackles.

Like Jones, Knight did more than stonewall ball carriers as a run defender, particularly shining as a pass rusher when Macdonald sent him on the blitz. On just 33 pass rushing snaps, he generated eight pressures and two sacks, posting a 15.2 Pass Rush Productivity score that ranked seventh among linebackers from Week 11 on. PFF also graded him as the 11th best linebacker (68.5) out of 49 qualified players in coverage in the second half as he allowed just 7.4 yards per reception and a 93.2 passer rating.

What Went Wrong

The Seahawks whiffed in free agency in general this past spring, including signing Baker and Dodson as replacements for Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks, only for neither player to be on the roster by Week 11. Those two players received close to $12 million to start a combined 12 games, and while they each had bright moments sprinkled into their brief tenures with the team, they largely failed to meet expectations, leading to their quick departures.

Dealing with a lingering soft tissue injury, Baker left far too many plays on the field, ranking 15th among linebackers with at least 275 defensive snaps in the first nine weeks with a 15 percent missed tackle rate. That percentage jumped north of 18 percent against the run and compounding problems, he frequently had issues working off of blocks, which played a key role in the team plunging to the bottom three of the league in run defense.

Dodson proved to be much more efficient wrapping up ball carriers than his teammate, but he often found himself out of place at the second level from a run fits perspective, which drew the ire of Macdonald even though he never publicly singled him out. Between that and getting swallowed up by blocks too frequently, he graded out 46th out of 50 linebackers against the run on PFF during his time with the Seahawks, leading to his release.

Final Grade: C+

With rapid changes coming around the trade deadline, the Seahawks endured a tale of two seasons at the linebacker position. Though Baker and Dodson did provide some pass rushing chops from the middle as blitzers and generally played decent in coverage, they ultimately weren't the right fit for Macdonald's system and with neither of them sticking on the roster beyond the ninth game, both of those signings have to be viewed as major failures.

However, as he has done in the past at other position groups correcting for free agency miscues, general manager John Schneider deserves credit for shoring up the defense by acquiring Jones and including Baker as part of that trade. Once the veteran linebacker joined forces with Knight, Seattle ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring defense, surrendering under 19 points per game with those two players being catalysts for that rapid improvements over the final two months.

Looking towards 2025 and beyond, the Seahawks can't afford to let Jones get away in free agency, as he should be the team's top priority to re-sign from their crop of pending free agents and will be a critical piece of the puzzle long-term for Macdonald's defense. Assuming they can lock him up on a multi-year deal, the franchise should be in excellent hands in the post-Wagner era at linebacker with him and Knight paired together in the middle, giving them two well-rounded young players who can excel against the run, as rushers, and in coverage.

Previous 2024 Grade Cards: Quarterback | Running Back | Receiver | Cornerback | Safety

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