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Brady Henderson, ESPN
SEATTLE — The Seahawks got Ernest Jones IV from the Titans to replace Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick in an inside linebacker trade Wednesday.
The move gives the Seahawks an upgrade at one of their weakest positions and marks the second industry of time for the Titans, who are finalizing a deal that would send wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas Town Chiefs, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. .
This is the second time Jones, 24, has been traded this year. The Titans acquired him from the Rams in August, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick to Los Angeles for Jones and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that he thought Jones would play games inside current linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who had been playing there, and move into Baker’s vacant spot at weakside linebacker. Jones was expected to arrive in Seattle on Wednesday night, and Macdonald expected him to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Macdonald said Dodson will likely continue in his position as Seattle’s defensive signal-caller while attacking the weak spot.
Jones, a third-round pick in 2021, spent his first three seasons with the Rams, helping them win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie. Jones, 24, has 44 tackles this season, second on the Titans, who at 1-5 are in the deep end of the AFC South.
Now he returns to the NFC West as a member of the Seahawks, who control the section by one game at 4-3.
Jones is in the final year of his rookie oath, which includes a minimum salary of $3.116 million. The Seahawks hope to book him after 2024, a source told ESPN, their organizational modus operandi has been to not extend industrial acquisitions immediately.
Baker may be ready to become a long-shot agent at the end of the season, having joined Seattle in March on a one-year, $7 million deal and then spending his first six seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He has 37 tackles and a sack in five games this season, missing two due to hamstring trauma that still sidelined him for much of the summer.
Seattle is projected to have a glut of fourth-round picks after the year’s draft.
The Seahawks have allowed the fifth-most yards in the sport at just over 146. Jones will have to be familiar with Macdonald’s defense, as Tennessee runs a version of it under coordinator Dennard Wilson.
Jones briefly appeared in the Titans’ opening lineup after veteran Kenneth Murray Jr. and assumed a managerial role, participating in 91.2% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps. Baker will replace Jones in the opening lineup.
Titans fourth-round rookie Cedric Gray could become an option as well when he is activated from the injured reserve. Gray has been recovering from nerve-related shoulder trauma. On October 7, the Titans opened their 21-day return window.
The Seahawks also added another inside linebacker to Macdonald’s scheme on Wednesday, claiming Josh Ross off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. Ross went undrafted in 2022 out of Michigan, where Macdonald served as defensive coordinator in 2021, and then rejoined Macdonald in Baltimore, where he served as DC the next two seasons.
Ross has appeared in 12 NFL games, and his entire playing age is close to specific teams.
The Seahawks properly addressed Stone Forsythe at the injured spot in a corresponding lineup process. Forsythe, who sat out games in Seattle’s NL win over the Atlanta Falcons due to hand trauma, will have to miss at least four games.
Additionally, on Wednesday, cornerback Riq Woolen practiced for the first time since suffering a sprained ankle on Game 5. Woolen was listed as a restricted player, current catcher DK Metcalf did not follow him.
Macdonald said Metcalf, who suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain against Atlanta, likely won’t play Thursday. The Seahawks have not ruled him out for Sunday’s game against Buffalo.
“Right now, we’ll look at Friday,” Macdonald said, “we’ll kind of re-evaluate as we go forward.”
Backup Kenneth Walker III also did not play Wednesday due to the injury he suffered against Atlanta, nor did cornerback Tre Brown due to ankle trauma that sidelined him for an extreme hour.
The Seahawks designated right tackles Abe Lucas and George Fant to return and continue. Lucas has been physically unable to make the roster present as he seeks to return from offseason knee surgery. Fant, signed in March to replace Lucas, is injured and then hurt his knee on Date 1.
Macdonald said Monday that Jerrell and Fant will likely be in play to start this hour against the Expenses, and that Lucas will need several weeks of practice before he can play.
ESPN’s Turron Davenport contributed to this record.
