In a move that most 12s would consider surprising, if not shocking, the Seahawks are trading one starting linebacker for another. Seattle gets Tennessee Titans LB Ernest Jones IV for the Hawks Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick.
If you're not shocked, 12s, I sure am. Baker had played fairly well in Seattle. Granted, he wasn't quite as good as Tyrel Dodson, but he wasn't exactly Kevin Pierre-Louis, either. In five games, Baker racked up a combined 30 tackles, 6 pressures, 15 stops, and one sack. Those five games might be part of the reason the Hawks felt comfortable making the trade, as Baker missed both the Dolphins and Lions games.
Ernest Jones IV has played in all six of the Titans games (their bye was in Week 5). He's played in just under 91 percent of the Titans snaps. No, that's not as much as Tyrel Dodson's near-98 percent, but he's clearly a four-down player.
The Seattle Seahawks add another versatile player in Ernest Jones
Credit Matthew Schmidt of si.com for predicting the trade of Jones several days ago. Jones was drafted by the Rams in 2021, and broke out in his second year in Los Angeles. Last year, he improved on his sophomore campaign, as he racked up 145 tackles, 4.5 sacks and broke up six passes. Below you can see Pro Football Focus's grades for Baker and Jones this season (subscription required):
Defense | vs Run | Tackling | Pass Rush | Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baker | 62.7 | 62.6 | 52.6 | 48.4 | 64.3 |
Jones | 62.5 | 68.4 | 65,7 | 65.2 | 54.0 |
So far, the 12s reactions have been a mixture of surprise and happiness, as you can see from the replies to Tom Pelissero's tweet announcing the deal:
Trade! The #Seahawks are sending LB Jerome Baker and a fourth-round draft pick to the #Titans for LB Ernest Jones IV, per sources. pic.twitter.com/gZOtN2M0Ox
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 23, 2024
It certainly isn't every day you see a trade of two players at the same position who were both just picked up by their current teams this year. I mean, it's a bit weird. But the Seahawks get a player who's more reliable and three years younger. Plus, he appears to be a bit more versatile than Baker, too.
I liked Baker, and wish him luck in Tennessee. I like the move, and I'm sure Jones isn't too sad about leaving the 1-5 Titans for the division-leading 4-2 Hawks. Plus he's the rare player that gets two shots at a non-conference opponent in the same year. Next up, the Buffalo Bills. Hopefully, Jones has some advice for his new teammates.
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