With NFL Free Agency approaching in mid March, we often spend time analyzing the best fits for available players. Oftentimes, we neglect the straightforward thought that re-signing with your current team is actually the best possible outcome, given the familiar surroundings. ESPN recently compiled a list pairing its top 50 pending free agents with their potential suitors.
When it comes to Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV, the team’s biggest pending free agent, ESPN claims staying put in Seattle represents the best-case scenario for Jones IV. We tend to agree.
“Re-signing with the Seahawks and anchoring the second level of Mike Macdonald’s defense seems like the right move,” Matt Bown wrote. “Jones — who landed in Seattle after a midseason trade from the Titans — is quick to diagnose and stop the run, as his 8.6 tackles per game ranked 12th in the NFL.”
Of the 50 free agents, only 12 of their “best fits” are projected to be their homegrown teams.
Jones was a game-changer for Mike Macdonald’s then-struggling defense, recording 94 tackles in 10 appearances after arriving in the Emerald City following a midseason trade with the Tennessee Titans. The linebacker position is incredibly important in Macdonald’s defense, proven by the Seahawks’ 2024 season, and his previous stint alongside Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.
The Seahawks eventually found the perfect linebacker for Macdonald’s defense in Jones. A reunion before free agency begins represents the best possible outcome for all parties involved.
