Ernest Jones IV is the kind of player that causes some to look at Pro Football Focus skeptically. After coming to the Seattle Seahawks midseason in a trade, PFF (subscription required) did not think overly highly of the linebacker. For the season, he was graded at number 53 among all linebackers, but he graded even worse in a Seahawks uniform than the one he wore for his former team, the Tennessee Titans.
This is brought up because 12s know the grade is a lie. Jones helped correct a lot of the ills the defense had before he was traded to Seattle, and this included much better run support and a bullish mentality that linebackers Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson did not have.
In fact, PFF's linebackers grades issue might be most telling in the fact that Dodson was the highest-graded linebacker in the league in 2023, and then washed out in Seattle halfway through the next season. Jones was better than his grade, and his production and the team's improvement overall defensively back that up.
Four teams who could outbid the Seattle Seahawks for linebacker Ernest Jones IV in free agency
Still, Jones is a free agent this offseason for the first time. He was still playing on his rookie deal through 2024, and he is only 25 years old. He should have a number of years left to play at a level of sustained very goodness. Seattle needs him back, but can they afford him? And might the following four teams outbid the Seahawks for Jones' services?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs linebacker group is a bit of a mess. The unit underperformed this season, and most of the players under contract for Tampa Bay next season and not shoo-ins to suddenly be much better. Jones, just as he did with Seattle, could come in and likely be the team's best LB and help improve the defense.
What is unclear is what the market value would be for Jones. He might want something close to $10 million a season, and settle for $8 million. The Bucs can pay that. Seattle cannot currently.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills' defense was pretty good, but the linebacker play was not. None of Buffalo's linebackers graded better than Jones, at least those who played for than a minimal amount of snaps. Matt Milano has the ability of being a very good outside linebacker, but he is expensive (he could be a cap casualty) and gets hurt a lot.
Jones would not take Milano's position, but if the Bills do move on from Milano with a post-June 1 designation then that would free up nearly $10 million. That is plenty of room to sign Jones, who might be looking to go to a true Super Bowl contender.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs' linebackers have been really good this season, but only one, Drue Tranquill, is under contract in 2025. This clearly means KC will be looking to acquire or re-sign linebackers, and the question might be if Jones would be less expensive than Leo Chanel, for instance. The Chiefs have a projected $17 million to spend this offseason, and that number is likely to go higher.
As with Buffalo, Jones might be asking himself if he would take a bit less money to go to a team that has a real chance of winning the Super Bowl. At least, more of a chance than the Seahawks do currently. Either way, the Chiefs can likely match whatever the Seahawks would offer Jones.
Denver Broncos
Denver has already signed one former Seahawks linebacker, Cody Barton, but Barton was not overly good. Jones would certainly be an upgrade at the position. Denver is a good team, but an improvement at linebacker could make the Broncos a team capable of unseating the Chiefs atop the AFC West.
Denver also has a projected $38 million in cap room and a quarterback on his rookie deal. Money is not a problem for the team. Not like it is with the Seahawks who simply might not be able to afford Ernest Jones IV moving forward.