4 Seattle Seahawks players with soaring stock ahead of 2024 NFL draft

Dre'Mont Jones - Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman

Jones was not as good as John Schneider would have hoped in 2023. This is only an assumption, of course, but a safe one. Schneider signed Jones last offseason to the most expensive contract he had ever signed another team's free agent to but the general manager doing so in hopes that Jones would only reach 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 5 tackles for loss - all bad numbers for a highly-paid defensive end - would be a terminable offense. (Those numbers do not reflect what Schneider was hoping to get out of Jones.)

Seattle needed more from Jones last season and needs more from him moving forward. His lack of high-end production might have been as much the fault of Hurtt and Carroll as the player, however. The Seahawks played a 3-4 base when Jones is a better fit in a 4-3. He is more of an end with his athleticism and relative speed than he is a defensive tackle. But Hurtt and Carroll did not allow him to play more outside the tackles than later in the season and that is when Jones was more disruptive.

Thankfully, Mike Macdonald likes a 4-3 front so Jones should improve simply because of that. But Macdonald also has proven that he knows how to get his defensive linemen in the right situations to succeed. For instance, Justin Madubuike became an All-Pro under Macdonald and his skill set is a lot like Jones's.

Jones should be expected to have his best season in the NFL in 2024. He will be playing across from Leonard Williams all season so Jones should see more single-blocking. Jones could get close to 9 sacks and 35 total pressures in 2024. That will be enough to cement his roster spot for 2025 as well.

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