RENTON, Wash. — Over the primary half of 2023, Dre’Mont Jones was nearly solely a defensive deal with, lining up inside on the overwhelming majority of his snaps.
Over the second half, he was predominantly a defensive finish.
And by the point his first season with the Seattle Seahawks was within the books, Jones was one thing of an enigma, a extremely gifted participant whose impression did not fairly match up with the hype that accompanied his arrival as one of many largest free agent acquisitions in franchise historical past.
Enter Mike Macdonald.
The Seahawks’ new head coach is not putting in a copy-and-paste model of the scheme he coordinated in Baltimore over the past two seasons, however he’s bringing with him components that made the Ravens’ protection maybe the hardest within the NFL to unravel. One of many methods during which they plan to maintain opposing offenses guessing and put their defenders in advantageous positions is by continually shifting them round up entrance.
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
That is why versatility has been the buzzword of the offseason amongst Seahawks defensive linemen, coaches and even their personnel division.
“One factor that I’d emphasize is versatility,” assistant common supervisor Nolan Teasley mentioned earlier than the draft when requested in regards to the change in defensive fashion from former coach Pete Carroll to Macdonald.
“I believe they in all probability touched on it by retaining [Leonard Williams]. His capacity to play up and down the road of scrimmage relying on the entrance and personnel. I do know a participant that we’re actually enthusiastic about, that they are enthusiastic about shifting round is Dre’Mont Jones due to his capacity off the sting, his capacity to hurry wherever from the three-technique to the six, possibly even out to the 9.”
Williams, who re-signed in March after arriving by way of commerce final October, mentioned he is been working at 5 different positions along with his traditional spot as a three-technique defensive deal with.
“I believe it advantages us in creating matchups the place you are placing the defensive participant in the perfect place and then you definitely’re additionally complicated the offense,” Williams mentioned throughout minicamp earlier this month.
“It makes it tougher for the offense to check us understanding that they might see Dre’Mont at a five-technique on movie, after which after we line up and play in opposition to them, he is in all probability going to be enjoying zero- or three-technique. So it is tougher for an offense to scheme in opposition to one particular participant as a result of we transfer round a lot.”
Can that assist Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde unlock the 27-year-old Jones?
His debut season with the Seahawks was extra stable than spectacular, at the very least relative to expectations that got here together with his massive contract.
The three-year, $51.53 million deal Jones signed with Seattle final March simply made him the highest-paid free agent acquisition of the Carroll-John Schneider period. His $17.18 million common far surpassed the $9.53 million common of the deal the Seahawks gave exterior linebacker Uchenna Nwosu 12 months earlier, which was beforehand essentially the most that regime had spent on one other crew’s free agent.
Better of NFL Nation
• Titans’ Levis tweaks mechanics• Vikes’ Addison higher in 12 months 2?• Will Steelers S play ‘Minkah’ ball?• Can Stanley return to All-Professional type?• Can Jack Jones revive profession in Vegas?
Jones produced career-highs in tackles (49) and QB hits (12) whereas enjoying in all 17 video games, and one among his 4.5 sacks got here within the remaining minute of a Christmas Eve recreation in opposition to the Tennessee Titans to assist the Seahawks shut out a three-point win that stored their playoff hopes alive.
However that was Jones’ lowest sack complete since his 2019 rookie season with the Denver Broncos, when he posted 3.5 (he recorded 6.5, 5.5 and 6.5 over the following three years). His 5 tackles for loss have been additionally his fewest since 2019.
One thought contained in the Virginia Mason Athletic Heart is that Seahawks coaches did not use Jones in a means that maximized his strengths. In keeping with ESPN Stats and Data, he performed 329 snaps at defensive deal with and solely 45 at defensive finish over the primary 9 video games. Then after Nwosu went down with a torn pectoral in October and Williams arrived by way of commerce eight days later, Jones moved exterior, enjoying 302 snaps at finish and 61 at deal with over the ultimate eight video games.
So whereas the Seahawks did make the most of Jones’ versatility final season, they did not accomplish that on a play-by-play foundation like their new employees intends to in 2024.
And whereas their precise plans for particular person gamers are nonetheless being sorted out, indicators level to the sting probably being one thing of a house base for Jones. That will make sense given how well-stocked Seattle is at defensive deal with with Williams, Jarran Reed, first-round decide Byron Murphy II and veteran addition Johnathan Hankins, amongst others.
Over the offseason, Jones’ private coach shared a video of Jones dropping into protection throughout an on-field exercise. Throughout minicamp, he took half in place drills with the skin linebackers. That was after he confirmed up weighing round 265-270 kilos, down from his listed weight of 281.
Throughout an 11-on-11 interval within the second minicamp follow, Jones lined up on the sting reverse Williams with Seattle’s protection in dime, after which a couple of performs later he was inside subsequent to Williams in a nickel package deal.
“I believe his skillset lends to making an attempt to play a bit of matchup ball with him or setting one other man up,” Macdonald mentioned. “He can do loads of issues. We have talked about it, however we’re actually enthusiastic about Dre’Mont.”
Macdonald credited Jones for being in “nice form” and for staying in control with Seattle’s defensive set up regardless of being away from the power throughout voluntary Organized Crew Actions; Jones posted on Instagram earlier this month that he just lately grew to become a father for the second time.
Prime tales of the week from 
Get unique entry to hundreds of premium articles a yr from high writers.• 6 As! NBA draft grades for all 30 groups »• Last NHL mock: No. 2 decide is … »• CFB: Previewing Notre Dame, others » Extra ESPN+ content material »
“He knew loads of the stuff we have been doing despite the fact that he hadn’t been within the constructing,” Macdonald mentioned.
Earlier than departing for the pre-training camp summer time break, the Seahawks transformed $9.875 million of Jones’ $11 million base wage for 2024 right into a signing bonus and added a pair of void years onto the top of his deal to be able to create $7.4 million in wage cap area. That is a typical restructure finished solely to present Seattle some wanted respiratory room in opposition to the spending restrict, as no new cash was added.
The larger change for Jones shall be together with his increasing function alongside Seattle’s line of defense.
“When you may have guys that may do a number of issues, play totally different gaps within the run recreation and rush at totally different ranges within the go recreation and you may have extra massive guys, it simply opens up extra personnel teams, extra seems to be you may generate,” Macdonald mentioned. “General, it is good for us. … We’ll sort of reassess how the spring has been, reassess our plan going into camp, after which as camp goes, we’re going see the way it evolves all through camp. I believe you need to have that perspective. If you happen to simply cookie cutter it … I believe you restrict your self on how far you may take your crew.”
