Four forgotten former Seahawks players who are still in the NFL

The Seattle Seahawks decided to make the roster younger a couple of years ago. This, of course, led to a lot of changes. Some veterans needed to leave to make room for the young guys.

Some of those veterans are as follows. In a couple of cases, one player holds a spot that no one else can do unless they are replaced by a player who does the same thing. Make sense?

In another case, one player has left Seattle twice before. They are a decent pass rusher, however, so maybe they will make it back to the Seahawks for a third time. Let's start there.

Forgotten former Seattle Seahawks players that are still in the NFL

Quinton Jefferson - Defensive tackle

Like linebacker Bobby Wagner, Jefferson was drafted by the Seahawks, left once, returned, and then left again. Unlike Wagner, Jefferson is not going to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. He was still a decent player who could get an inconsistent pass rush and had 5.5 sacks for Seattle in 2022.

Jefferson might be best remembered for almost going after a fan who had stupidly hurled a beer toward the defensive tackle when Seattle played the Jaguars in Jacksonville in 2017. He argued with fans even though they kept throwing bottles at him. Should Jefferson have gone straight to the locker room? Sure, but how tough would those fans be had the 6'4" and 290-pound found his way to their seats?

Jefferson is currently employed with the Cleveland Browns, his fifth team in five seasons. Last year, Jefferson had a career-high six sacks for the New York Jets. At 31 years old, he might not be playing too much longer.

Poona Ford - Defensive tackle

Ford was a bit of a fan favorite for Seattle between 2018 and 2022 after being an undrafted free agent out of college, but he never became an irreplaceable player. He was always a bit undersized to be a nose guard and could not offer enough interior pass rush to be a long-term option at defensive tackle. He wasn't bad, but he was more of a rotational piece who needed to be a full-time starter from 2020 through 2022.

In 2023, Ford played for the Buffalo Bills but was a healthy scratch for most of the year. He appeared in just eight games and had one sack. Buffalo did not feel the need to try to bring him back this season. Instead, Ford signed with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal.

Tyler Ott - Long snapper

Being a long snapper is a weird gig in the NFL. A player who holds down that spot is likely to never play another position but has to be great every time they touch the ball. They are a bit like officials. The only time a fan might notice them is if they mess up a snap.

Ott did such a good job with Seattle from 2016 through 2021 that he made the Pro Bowl as a long snapper in 2020. Then he hurt his shoulder and was replaced. His absence from the Seahawks was made permanent when Seattle signed Chris Stoll as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Ott missed all of 2022 with his shoulder injury but played for the Baltimore Ravens last year. This offseason, he signed with the Washington Commanders.

Tony Jones, Jr. - Running back

The New Orleans Saints just can't quit Jones. He has been in the NFL since 2020 and already played for the Saints twice. In between that time, he found his way to Seattle and he also played for the Arizona Cardinals. In 2022, he spent four games with the Seahawks and he didn't play much.

Oddly, in 2021 with the Saints (who else?) he managed to run the ball 54 times but only gained 142 yards. Always a bit more of a grinder, he has managed to gain a first down on 19.4 percent of his rushes. Compare that to Kenneth Walker III for Seattle who has gained a first down on 21.7 percent of his attempts. Not a huge difference.

During the 2023 season, Jones moved from the Saints to the Cardinals, and in 2024, he is still signed with Arizona. He might not make the team, however. If he doesn't. I am sure New Orleans would welcome him back again.

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