RENTON — It’s only been three games.
Heck, he doesn’t even have his own stuff in his new, empty Seattle home.
“I just found somewhere to live at. Finally getting out of the hotel,” Ernest Jones IV said last week, of the short time since the Seahawks made him their new middle linebacker in a trade from Tennessee late last Month.
“Now we’re just waiting on our furniture to get here. House, no furniture. That’s where we’re at right now.”
He, his wife Tyra, and their infant son Ernest V may soon have all they want. And more.
Jones’ third consecutive starring performance Sunday — a game-high 13 tackles, almost all of them thudding, stopped-in-their-tracks hits — led Seattle’s defense to holding down San Francisco. That kept the offense in the game long enough for Geno Smith to win it. Smith’s touchdown run with 13 seconds left gave the Seahawks their first victory over the 49ers in seven meetings, 20-17.
As The News Tribune detailed earlier Monday, the time is already here for Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald to re-sign Jones.
His rookie contract ends after this season. Seattle inherited his deal and the $1.9 million prorated amount remaining on it for the final half of this season from the Titans. Tennessee inherited it from the Rams, when Los Angeles traded Jones to the Titans in late August.
Jones said upon arrival in Seattle a few weeks ago he and his young family were tired of relocating, from Los Angeles to Nashville to Seattle within two-plus months. He’s said he’d love to stay with the Seahawks for the longer term.
“It’s just a mental battle just for me,” Jones said Oct. 24. “We have a three-month-old son, so the whole time I’m just thinking about my son and my wife. Sitting on that plane (from Nashville to Seattle after the trade), I don’t want to put them through this again.
“So even though getting traded wasn’t always on me, I’m ready to go play football so I can go out here and show not only the Seahawks but show that I am what I say I am.”
Monday afternoon, Macdonald was asked about whether he and Schneider are or will be talking during this season about re-signing Jones for 2025 and beyond. Or, will they table that matter until after the season?
“John and I are, we’re talking every day about our team and direction. We want to go short- and long-term,” Macdonald said.
“So I can tell you that we’re really excited about Ernest. And I hope there’s an opportunity for him to be here for an extended period of time.
“But when that pops up, and then an opportunity, if and when? Not sure right now.
“But he’s definitely one of our type of guys.”
Macdonald concluded: “We’re excited to have him. Hopefully, he’s here for a while.”
The Seahawks began this season where they were last season: Dreadful stopping the run.
The Patriots rushed for 185 yards in week two to send that eventual Seattle escape win to overtime. The two-win New York Giants romped for 185 yards all over Lumen Field to upset the Seahawks.
When the 49ers came to Seattle last month, their All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey was out injured. Backup Jordan Mason got hurt in the first half and did not return. Third-stringer rookie Isaac Guerendo led San Francisco’s runs at middle linebacker Tyrel Dodson and weakside Jerome Baker for 228 yards rushing. The Niners beat the Seahawks yet again, 36-24.
Then Schneider sent Baker, who was not stout against the run, plus a fourth-round pick to the Titans last month to get Jones.
He arrived to replace Dodson, also not strong enough to take on blockers and ball carriers, as a run-stopper in the middle of the Seahawks defense. The Seahawks cut Dodson last week.
Jones hits guys and they just fall. Straight down. Or back.
Sunday in Santa Clara, McCaffrey gained 79 yards on 19 carries. The 49ers that romped without McCaffrey gained about half their rushing yards against Seattle with Jones than when the Seahawks didn’t have him.
Tyrice Knight, the rookie fourth-round draft choice, replaced Dodson at weakside linebacker Sunday. Knight had 10 more tackles, a lot closer to the line of scrimmage than Dodson typically made the last two games or Baker did for months there.
Jones is exactly what Macdonald was seeking for his new middle linebacker. It took him half a season to get it.
“The game is really slow for him,” Macdonald said Monday. “There’s a poise there. There’s a confidence in how to play blocks. There’s a confidence in how to play (running) backs, how to pace the ball.”
Jones turns just 25 this week. Yet as the starting middle linebacker for the Rams for his first three NFL seasons and a Super Bowl champion, he’s played the position at a high level — in the sport’s biggest game.
“He’s seen all these things before,” Macdonald said.
“To take the next step for him is just to understand, like, hey, how our (defensive-line) guys play the blocks in front of them, and where the ball is going to kind of end up based off of what structures that we’re in, and the schemes we’re seeing now. This comes with reps.
“So he’ll pick that up, easy. …
“But there’s a poise.”
And, seemingly, a future for Jones with the Seahawks well beyond this season.
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