Under Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks have had a knack for taking potential multi-gap disruptors, perfecting their games, and turning them loose on an unfortunate and unsuspecting NFL. Seattle has done it once again with an agreement to sign former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year, $51 million contract.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network has the particulars.
Full terms for the #Seahawks and DT Dre'Mont Jones:
— 3 years, $51.53M
— $23.5M in Year 1
— $35.02M over two years.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
Jones has the stuff to be the best such player for the Seahawks since Michael Bennett in his prime, which is as high as you can set the bar. It comes at a crucial time for the team, as everybody in the organization knows just how much the Seahawks need help along the front seven.
Jones has been an underrated pressure generator since the Broncos took him in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Ohio State, and he did the contract year thing perfectly with his best season to date in 2022. Jones amassed seven sacks, five quarterback hits, 33 quarterback hurries, and 25 stops in just 13 games — he missed the last four games of Denver’s season with a hip injury.
When healthy, Jones can attack from just about any gap at 6-foot-3 and 281 pounds, and he has some vicious pass-rush moves to glue it all together. On this sack of Trevor Lawrence in Week 8, watch how Jones (No. 93) started off on the edge aligned with Bradley Chubb, let right tackle Jawaan Taylor deal with Chubb, and just bulled right guard Brandon Scherff into the quarterback.
It wasn’t any easier for Chiefs right guard Trey Smith when Jones went to work on him in Week 14.
The Seahawks under Pete Carroll have always had a knack for taking multi-gap disruptors and unleashing them on the rest of the NFL. Dre'Mont Jones gives them their best such player since Michael Bennett in his prime. Sucks to be Chiefs RG Trey Smith on this rep. pic.twitter.com/qUgQ9hcFcN
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 14, 2023
There was also this ridiculous play against the Jets in Week 7, when Jones started off in flat coverage, and had the athleticism and wherewithal to come back and take quarterback Zach Wilson down.
As long as health isn’t an issue, this is an “A” signing, but we’ll hold that in reserve for now.