Ernest Jones IV trade: Seahawks tweak plan, says Mike Macdonald

The Seattle Seahawks are doing more than just improving their inside linebacker group.

On Wednesday, Seattle traded starting weakside linebacker Jerome Baker to the Tennessee Titans for Ernest Jones IV, giving up a 2025 fourth-round pick in the process. It's a clear statement of intent that the linebacker group, already a question mark early in the season, is a position the Seahawks wanted to improve.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that Jones' arrival means Tyrel Dodson, who was the “Mike” linebacker, will move to the weak side while Jones assumes his standard role as middle linebacker.

Dodson will retain the “green dot” role as a defensive playcaller, which isn’t surprising since he was with the team the entire offseason. Before joining Seattle, Dodson was the Buffalo Bills' weakside linebacker following Matt Milano's injury, so this is more familiar territory for him.

Macdonald's immediate thoughts on the trade were more about Jones and what he could bring than anything about Baker.

Jones' arrival also means no changes to playing time (or lack thereof) for rookie Tyrice Knight or Drake Thomas.

Jones is on his way from Nashville to Seattle with the goal of being available for his Seahawks debut against the Buffalo Bills, the same team Jones played against in his last game with the Titans.