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Ernest Jones

Seahawks, Titans Agree To Swap LBs Jerome Baker, Ernest Jones

October 23rd, 2024 at 11:30am CST by Sam Robinson

Ernest Jones is heading back to the NFC West, being involved in a second trade this year. The Titans and Seahawks have a linebacker-for-linebacker swap lined up, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.

The Seahawks are sending Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick to the Titans for Jones, who was originally dealt from the Rams to the Titans in August. The contract-year linebacker will head back to the Pacific Time Zone to finish up his free agency audition. It’s a 2025 fourth, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com.

This marks the second Titans seller’s trade of the day, with the move coming hours after the team agreed to send DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs. This checks in as a slightly lower-profile deal, but Tennessee secured a better return for Jones compared to Hopkins. Collecting a conditional fifth-round pick for the former All-Pro receiver, the Titans now have Baker and a fourth coming back. Like Jones, Baker is in a contract year.

As the Rams informed Jones this offseason would not be extended in 2024, his camp received permission to negotiate a trade. While Jones had said he did not request a trade out of Los Angeles, the Rams agreed to one in short order. L.A. collected a fifth-round pick for Jones and a sixth. Despite the season being nearly half over, the Titans did better in their Jones return.

Overall, Tennessee did quite well in the two Jones trades. The team gave up only a 2026 fifth-round pick but has obtained Baker, a 2025 fourth-rounder and a 2026 sixth in exchange. The Seahawks will bet on the younger linebacker while the Titans retool.

A former Rams starter who played a role for the Super Bowl LVI team before being highly productive from 2022-23, Jones has started five games with the Titans. He leaves Tennessee with 44 tackles (second on the team) with three TFLs and two pass deflections. Jones, who briefly teamed with UFA addition Kenneth Murray in Tennessee, led the 2023 Rams in tackles with 145 — to go with 4.5 sacks and 14 TFLs. This came after Jones teamed with Bobby Wagner as a starter in 2022.

The Seahawks had used free agency to staff their LB position, though they did not make the kind of commitment there the Titans did via their three-year Murray pact. Seattle signed Baker and Tyrel Dodson, bringing in the former as a street free agent following his Dolphins release. Baker’s second 2024 relocation will come after he started all five games he played with Seattle. Baker made 30 tackles (two for loss) and forced a fumble during his brief Seahawks stint.

Pro Football Focus has Baker and Jones ranked alongside each other among off-ball ‘backers this season, placing Baker 46th and Jones 47th. PFF has Baker rated as a superior coverage linebacker, though Jones checked in as a top-15 overall option at LB in 2023. He will now have a chance to use the Seahawks as a springboard to a nice 2025 payday.

Baker being nearly three years older explains the compensation in this trade. Baker will turn 28 on Christmas Day; Jones will be 25 next month. The Seahawks hold exclusive negotiating rights with their newly acquired defender until the March legal tampering period.

In Miami, Baker worked as a hybrid player of sorts. He showed the type of blitz acumen that has boosted the profiles of Demario Davis and Devin White. The former third-round pick notched 22.5 sacks in six Dolphins seasons, topping out at seven under Brian Flores in 2020. Baker did not assimilate as easily into Vic Fangio‘s defense last season, but he will now go from one ex-Raven assistant’s scheme to another by moving from Mike Macdonald‘s defense to Dennard Wilson‘s.

While Jones is tied his third-round contract, Baker is attached to a one-year deal worth $7MM. The Seahawks, however, already paid Baker a $4MM roster bonus; he is due barely $1MM in prorated base salary. As Baker joins Murray on a 1-5 Tennessee team, Jones will team with Dodson as a pair of contract-year LBs for a 4-3 Seattle team.

Rams Trade LB Ernest Jones To Titans

August 27th, 2024 at 11:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ernest Jones worked as a linebacker regular for the Rams over the past two seasons, emerging as a potential extension candidate. But the Rams had not planned on making such a move this year. After a run of trade rumors, Jones is moving on.

The Rams are dealing Jones to the Titans, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Tennessee will acquire a proven starter in a contract year, with the Rams losing an experienced option shortly before a season with playoff expectations. This will be a pick-swap trade. The Rams will collect a fifth-round pick from the Titans for Jones and a sixth, per veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. The exchanged picks are 2026 selections, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds.

This comes after Jones delivered an impact performance for the 2023 Rams. The former third-round pick reeled off 145 tackles (14 for loss), 4.5 sacks and six passes defensed. The Rams perennially keep costs low at linebacker, but it is nevertheless interesting they are willing to move on from a productive young defender.

Pro Football Focus rated Jones 13th among off-ball ‘backers last season, viewing the Rams starter as strong as a run defender and a blitzer while lacking in coverage. Jones started all 15 games he played last season and lined up alongside Bobby Wagner for most of the 2022 season. The Rams moved on from Wagner after one year, and they will now be tasked with replacing Jones days before a season.

This swiftly developing storyline escalated this week, when the Rams gave Jones’ camp permission to seek a trade. Jones, 24, then made it clear he did not request to be moved. The Rams communicated with teams Monday, and a deal has come to pass. This will be an interesting addition to a Titans team that lost Azeez Al-Shaair in free agency. That came a year after David Long moved on (to the Dolphins). Jones soon stands to be a key piece in Dennard Wilson‘s defense.

Tennessee has now imported two Los Angeles-based starters this year, having already brought in ex-Chargers first-rounder Kenneth Murray. The team also rosters Jack Gibbens, a former UDFA who started 13 games last season. PFF ranked Gibbens 30th among ILBs last season; he made 95 tackles in 14 games. The Titans gave Murray a two-year, $15.5MM deal but structured the contract to make it fairly easy to move on after one season. With Jones in a contract year, the Titans may have some short-term solutions on their defensive second level. This move also comes after the Titans lost Chance Campbell to an ACL tear.

Although the Rams make a habit of generating solid play from lower-level investments, this does appear a bit of a gamble. Unlike when L.A. cut Wagner, it is coming off a postseason berth. Jones led Rams linebackers (by far) with 988 defensive snaps last season; Christian Rozeboom was second (with 579). PFF rated Rozeboom, a former UDFA, 79th at the position in 2023. Another undrafted player, rookie Omar Speights, has impressed to the point he will make Los Angeles’ roster, with The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue connecting this and a willingness to move on from Jones (subscription required).

The Titans will have exclusive negotiating rights with Jones until March, leaving them time to evaluate this fit. The Rams were not eyeing a 2024 deal with Jones, but a team that gave up at least one to-be-determined asset for him may be more inclined to discuss an extension.

Rams Have Communicated With Teams Over Ernest Jones Trade

August 26th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned on Sunday that Rams linebacker Ernest Jones‘ camp has been given permission to find a trade partner. The pending free agent did not ask to be moved, something head coach Sean McVay expanded on further when speaking to the media on Monday.

“We never said that he requested a trade. We’ve had communication with his representation and I’m going to leave that in house for now,” McVay confirmed (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “We’re just working through some different things and we’re just going to take it a day at a time… We had communication with his representation, there’s been some dialogue with teams, and that’s where it’s at.”

Teams regularly allow the agents of extension-eligible players to explore the market when negotiations stall out. Jones is a key component of the Rams’ defense, though, so McVay’s admission that trade talks with outside teams have already taken place is noteworthy. One year remains on the 24-year-old’s rookie contract, and any interested parties would likely have an extension worked out upon acquiring him.

Jones – whom The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes was absent from Monday’s practice (subscription required) – has upped his market value considerably given his play over the course of his three seasons in the league. The former third-rounder has taken on an increased workload each year, operating as a full-time starter and team captain in 2023. Jones racked up 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season, making him a logical extension candidate.

General manager Les Snead made it clear in March, however, that no long-term deal would be worked out during the 2024 offseason. Rodrigue’s latest update on the matter states rather definitively that Jones will be play out the final year of his deal if he is to remain in Los Angeles for at least one more year. A trade taking place between now and Week 1 would, of course, change that financial outlook.

As Rodrigue adds, undrafted rookie Omar Speights has impressed this offseason, and Snead confirmed he will make Los Angeles’ opening roster. The emergence of at least a depth LB contributor could make Jones easier to move from the Rams’ perspective, but the market he generates on a trade and/or an accompanying extension will remain worth watching closely.

Rams Grant LB Ernest Jones Permission To Seek Trade

August 25th, 2024 at 3:52pm CST by Rory Parks

3:52pm: While Jones could find himself on the move, he made it clear via an X post that he never requested a trade. It will be interesting to see how much of a market develops in the coming days and whether or not any offers reach a level where Los Angeles seriously considers a deal.

9:21am: The Rams have given linebacker Ernest Jones permission to seek a trade, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Jones’ status as an extension candidate this offseason has been somewhat unclear. Back in March, we heard that Jones was on the club’s extension radar, but GM Les Snead said just a few days later that he would not authorize a new deal for the talented defender in 2024.

Earlier this month, however, Fowler himself reported that Jones is indeed a candidate for a second contract from the Rams, Los Angeles’ general unwillingness to pay big money to an off-ball LB notwithstanding. Fowler’s report from today notes that player and team have discussed an extension but have made no progress on that front. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic adds that the Rams broke off negotiations in the spring (subscription required).

Regardless of when contract talks took place and when they broke down, the upshot is that Snead & Co. are evidently prepared to adhere to their standard operating proecudure when it comes to off-ball ‘backers and let Jones seek his second NFL deal elsewhere. And, considering Jones’ performance to date, there could be a number of clubs interested in his services.

In 2023, Jones recorded 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks across 15 games (all starts) while enjoying a 93% snap share. That production is not a mere byproduct of heavy volume, as the South Carolina alum graded out as the 13th-best linebacker in the league out of 82 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics. Of his 145 tackles, 14 of them were behind the line of scrimmage.

Jones, 24, is also Los Angeles’ defensive signal-caller, so the club would need to get someone else to fill that role if a trade is consummated. According to Rodrigue, the Rams’ willingness to move Jones may be at least partially informed by the emergence of UDFA rookie Omar Speights, whom Snead said will make the team. If Snead has decided that a Jones extension is too expensive for the Rams, he may believe that recovering some draft capital for him now while getting an extended look at Speights is more valuable than retaining Jones for one more season.

However, given Jones’ talent and obvious importance to the Rams’ defense, it would seemingly take a rather strong trade offer to pry him away from a club that qualified for the playoffs last year and is eyeing another postseason run in 2024. Perhaps this is a case of a GM allowing other teams to establish a player’s market before extending an offer of his own — after all, interested clubs would surely want to have a multiyear deal in place with Jones before pulling the trigger on a trade — but in any event, Rodrigue says the situation is fluid. In other words, neither a trade nor an extension is imminent.

Rams LB Ernest Jones An Extension Candidate?

August 11th, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Rory Parks

There continue to be conflicting reports about Rams linebacker Ernest Jones’ status as an extension candidate. Back in March, we heard that Jones was on the club’s extension radar, but GM Les Snead said just a few days later that he would not authorize a new deal for the contract-year defender in 2024.

“We prioritized spending our resources on additions rather than re-signing from within,” Snead said at the time. When making public comments, general managers will typically discuss the value of developing and extending their own players instead of making external additions, though Snead has never been afraid to zig when others zag and to be candid in his decisions to do so. Plus, the Rams have a history — at least during the Sean McVay era — of letting off-ball linebackers and safeties secure their second contracts elsewhere.

That said, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently wrote that Jones is indeed a candidate for a second contract from the Rams, despite Los Angeles’ general unwillingness to pay big money to an off-ball LB (subscription required). Fowler notes that Jones is considered a “tone-setter” on the club’s defense, and given the 24-year-old defender’s performance and the growth he has shown since the Rams selected him in the third round of the 2021 draft, Snead could be willing to make an exception.

In 2023, Jones recorded 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks across 15 games (all starts) while enjoying a 93% snap share. That production is not a mere byproduct of heavy volume, as the South Carolina alum graded out as the 13th-best linebacker in the league out of 82 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics. Of his 145 tackles, 14 of them were behind the line of scrimmage.

Fowler did say that Jones could secure a new deal from the Rams “down the line,” so it does not sound as if anything is imminent, and it’s unclear if negotiations are even taking place. Perhaps Snead & Co. want to see him continue his ascent and replicate his 2023 performance before deviating from their modus operandi, and if Jones is successful in that regard, Los Angeles will of course have exclusive negotiating rights between the end of the 2024 season and the start of the legal tampering period in March 2025. 

Jones is due to earn $3.12MM in 2024, the last year of his rookie contract.

Rams Planning To Have QB Stetson Bennett At Offseason Workouts

March 25th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Stetson Bennett disappeared from the Rams’ depth chart in September, going from a player who had a path to becoming Matthew Stafford‘s backup to one out of the mix entirely. Last year’s stay on the Rams’ reserve/NFI list further delayed the NFL career of a player who spent six years in college.

It is not clear what led Bennett off the Rams’ roster in September, but in January, Sean McVay stopped short of guaranteeing the two-time national championship-winning quarterback would be with the team in 2024. GM Les Snead provided an update on Bennett from the league meetings today, indicating (via the Los Angeles Times’ Gary Klein) the Rams expect the reserve QB to be with them for offseason workouts. Bennett has been preparing for Rams workouts in Dallas.

The Rams targeted Bennett as a potential long-term Stafford backup last year, drafting him in the fifth round. The team had done extensive scouting on a player that, despite his status as a multiyear Georgia starter during the most dominant stretch in that program’s history, was not on early-round draft radars. Bennett, who began his time at Georgia as a walk-on before spending time at a junior college, will also turn 27 later this year. That obviously would put him on track to begin his career later than most QBs in NFL history, but the prospect of Bennett being ready to resume his career is certainly encouraging for the Rams.

A route to Bennett being the Rams’ QB2 does not appear to exist right now. The team gave Jimmy Garoppolo a one-year, $4.5MM deal to replace Carson Wentz as Stafford’s backup. (The team also retained reserve Dresser Winn via a futures contract.) Stafford’s injury history made the acquisition of a veteran backup rather important, and Bennett’s NFI placement last year qualifies him an unreliable option. But the Rams hope to see more of the former SEC standout soon.

Elsewhere on the Rams’ roster, the previously mentioned Ernest Jones extension talks do not appear to have brought progress. Snead said the team is not planning to extend the contract-year linebacker in 2024. “We prioritized spending our resources on additions rather than re-signing from within,” Snead said, via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop.

GM-speak generally preaches the inverse of this strategy, making it interesting Snead would indicate months in advance the Rams were not planning to extend Jones. The former third-round pick has shown improvement, putting together his best season in 2023. But the Rams have a history — during the McVay years, at least — of letting linebackers and safeties fetch their second contracts elsewhere. Among linebackers, Cory Littleton‘s 2020 free agency exit best represents this strategy.

The team’s previous blueprint featured a host of stars coming in, and their contracts made hitting on Day 2 and Day 3 rookies paramount. Jones has become one of those hits, but as of now, he will be looking to audition for other teams — though, the Rams still retain exclusive negotiating rights until March 2025 — rather than being the focus of 2024 extension talks.

Rams Pursued Andrew Van Ginkel; Ernest Jones On Extension Radar

March 20th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Donald‘s retirement creates major questions for a Rams team that has benefited from one of the NFL’s all-time greats for 10 years. Donald boosted the capabilities of other Rams pass rushers, with Kobie Turner and Byron Young the latest beneficiaries.

In addition to its unfillable hole in the Donald spot, the Rams could still use help in the pass-rushing department. The team was in on hybrid performer Andrew Van Ginkel early in free agency, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes, but the ex-Dolphins linebacker signed with the Vikings on a two-year, $20MM deal.

The Rams have not added an edge player in free agency, and they were not believed to be aiming to spend too much to fill the post opposite Young. The team had hoped Van Ginkel’s market would come down a bit, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required), but it did not. Van Ginkel received $10MM guaranteed at signing from the Vikings, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. Another $3MM shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, giving Minnesota some options with the ex-Miami defender.

Vic Fangio used Van Ginkel in more of a pass-rushing role down the stretch last season, a campaign that featured Jaelan Phillips sustain a torn Achilles during the Dolphins’ Black Friday game. Reuniting with Brian Flores in the Twin Cities, Van Ginkel has shown pass-rushing chops in the past; prior to his six-sack 2023, he accumulated 20 QB hits and nine tackles for loss in Flores’ 2021 Miami finale.

It is difficult to know what to expect from the Rams’ pass rush. Donald raised this operation’s floor to a degree it landed the likes of Leonard Floyd, Von Miller and Dante Fowler big paydays. Over the past two years, the team invested little — beyond the third-round Young pick — on the edge; the team did attempt to keep Miller and then saw Carolina turn down a two-first-rounder offer (17 months before taking a second and a fifth from the Giants) for Brian Burns. But the Rams, who spent to address guard last week, have work to do here moving forward.

Elsewhere on defense, the Rams have begun extension talks with linebacker Ernest Jones, per Rodrigue, who classifies these talks as preliminary. A two-year starter, Jones has become one of the Rams’ top defenders. Coming off a 145-tackle, 4.5-sack season, the former third-round pick is going into a contract year.

Los Angeles released Bobby Wagner last year and previously let standout Cory Littleton collect his second contract elsewhere. Pro Football Focus ranked Jones 13th among linebackers last season, when the South Carolina alum broke through with 14 tackles for loss. With Donald retiring, Matthew Stafford going into his age-36 season and Cooper Kupp turning 31 this year, the Rams may be more open to extensions with players at lower-priority positions. They have some time to hammer out a Jones deal, as Rodrigue adds the sides are not in a rush.

Based on how the Rams spent their money last week, a Steve Avila-to-center plan appeared in place. Indeed, Rodrigue confirms the 2023 second-round pick is slated to slide to center. The Rams re-signed Kevin Dotson on a $16MM-per-year deal and gave Jonah Jackson a $17MM-AAV pact. Considering Avila was the team’s highest draft choice since Jared Goff, it seemed highly unlikely L.A. would demote him ahead of his second season.

TCU deployed Avila at center during his 2021 junior season; he also saw time there as a sophomore. After going into recent training camps with position battles up front, the Rams appear to have their starting five — Alaric Jackson, Jonah Jackson, Avila, Dotson, Rob Havenstein — up front. Attached to a recently reworked deal, Joe Noteboom is set to provide swing depth.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/29/22

January 29th, 2022 at 10:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves before Championship Sunday:

Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

San Francisco 49ers

Rams To Place RB Darrell Henderson, LB Ernest Jones On IR

December 27th, 2021 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

Darrell Henderson is heading to the IR. The Rams running back suffered an MCL sprain that will require a stint on the injured reserve, head coach Sean McVay told reporters (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic on Twitter).

After seeing significantly more playing time during his second season in the NFL, Henderson was expected to be a workhorse for the Rams in 2021. The 24-year-old has been productive in his 12 games (10 starts), collecting 864 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 178 touches.

However, Henderson seemed to be behind Sony Michel on the depth chart once the former returned from his recent two-game absence. Michel saw time on 73 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 15, while Henderson only played in 27 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps. Henderson got into only five snaps yesterday before exiting with his injury. With Henderson out of the picture, Michel will likely continue to lead the depth chart, although the team could welcome back Cam Akers on Sunday. The 2020 second-round pick had 748 yards from scrimmage during his rookie campaign, but a torn Achilles has forced him to miss most of the 2021 season.

Linebacker Ernest Jones will also be placed on IR with a high ankle sprain, per Rodrigue (on Twitter). Jones will require surgery on the injury, but there’s a chance he returns for the playoffs. The rookie third-round pick has started seven of his 15 games this season, compiling 61 tackles, one sack, and two interceptions.

Rams’ Ernest Jones To Miss Time?

December 27th, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Rams believe that Ernest Jones has suffered a high-ankle sprain (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). For now, the linebacker is considered week-to-week, which could allow him to return for the playoffs.

Jones began the year as a special teams player before breaking into the starting lineup in late October. Through 15 games this season, he’s notched 61 tackles, two interceptions, and one sack. Unfortunately, he was forced out of yesterday’s game against the Vikings after just eleven snaps.

The Rams, who beat the Vikings 30-23 yesterday, are working to lock down the NFC West after clinching their playoff spot. They hope to have the third-round rookie in tow, especially given his progress in recent weeks.

“I think we got in some situations that really express his ability a little bit more,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said earlier this month (via the team website). “We were in more favorable down and distances for us defensively where they’re forced to kind of throw it. We get a lead and there’s was a lot of the stuff that we loved out of Ernest coming out of South Carolina. You get his feel his range, his ability to be able to sense things and diagnose them. I think our defensive staff has done a great job of just continuing to help him improve.”

Now at 11-4 on the year, the Rams will wrap the regular season with games against the Ravens and 49ers.

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