As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for their 2025 training camp later this month, attention turns to the linebacker position and the role Tyrice Knight and Ernest Jones will play in strengthening the team’s defense. With no departures or additions in the linebacker group during the offseason, the focus rests on solidifying the progress made last season, aiming for new defensive heights under head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider.
Midseason Linebacker Changes Sparked Defensive Improvement in 2024
In what was Mike Macdonald’s first year as the Seahawks’ head coach, he showed a willingness to make significant in-season adjustments, including at the linebacker position, which is central to his defensive philosophy. Early in the 2024 campaign, Macdonald traded starting linebacker Jerome Baker to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for Ernest Jones IV. Less than a month later, he waived then-leading tackler Tyrel Dodson, allowing rookie Tyrice Knight to step into the starting lineup.
While Macdonald was cautious not to place full blame on Baker or Dodson for the defense’s struggles, these moves proved pivotal. The Seahawks turned their performance around in the latter half of the season, winning six of their last eight games and dramatically improving defensive rankings, such as finishing fourth in yards allowed and fifth in points allowed per game during that stretch.
Ernest Jones Emerges as a Defensive Leader After Midseason Move
Ernest Jones, acquired midseason, quickly became a key figure on Seahawks defense due to his playmaking ability and leadership. The team’s decision to re-sign him for the 2025 season reflects his importance. Coming off a full offseason and training camp, Jones is expected to be an even greater contributor this year.
“I think it’s going to be special,” Jones said when discussing the team’s defensive continuity. “I’m excited. I don’t want to give too much because we’ve got to go put the work in. But, if the vision lives up to what I think, yeah, it’s going to be something crazy.”
I like us versus anything and anybody. That’s how I’ll leave it.
— Ernest Jones, Linebacker
Tyrice Knight Prepared for a Breakout Sophomore Season
Rookie linebacker Tyrice Knight seized his opportunity late last season after being thrust into the starting role. Defensive coordinator Aden Durde praised Knight’s growing understanding of the defense and his calmness under pressure, highlighting his rapid development and his work alongside Jones to master positioning and assignments.
“I thought he made leaps and bounds (of progress) from when he started in the Miami game and then he came back and played in the San Francisco game,” Durde said. “He just felt calmer when he was out there. He’s kind of like that. There’s nothing that’s too much for him. He goes out there. I think the growth of it is just understanding why we call the plays when we call the plays, what opportunities you have, what’s your true job, what assignment you’ve got, and how do you make the plays you can make and then how do you guide the plays in front of you? Setting them up, lining them up, he and E.J. are working on that.”
With the experience of his rookie year behind him, Knight is poised to elevate his impact as he approaches his second NFL season.
Defensive Improvements Reflect Broader Team Adjustments
Macdonald’s willingness to adjust during the 2024 season extended beyond the linebacker corps. In-season changes to defensive backs and returners showed his commitment to putting the best players on the field to improve results. For example, when starting safety Rayshawn Jenkins was injured, Coby Bryant replaced him and maintained that position even after Jenkins recovered, while struggling returners Dee Williams and Laviska Shenault Jr. were replaced to enhance ball security.
“Holistically as a defense, we weren’t getting it done, and we put a lot on our linebackers,” Macdonald explained after waiving Dodson. “I hate that it had to work out just through those two guys, because those are two guys that we respect a lot who came in and worked really hard, but sometimes you have to make these decisions and do what you feel is best for our defense to take the next step. So that was the decision, but it just happened to be those guys. But we do put a lot on our linebackers, we expect a lot from those guys, and that’ll always be the case here as long as we’re here.”
“I don’t want us to feel like we’re singling guys out; obviously it looks that way because of the roster moves that we made. We made them for two completely different reasons, but the things we need to improve are really the entire defense, it just so happens that we made the move at linebacker.”
— Mike Macdonald, Head Coach
Returning Starters Set the Stage for Defensive Consistency
The Seahawks head into 2025 with remarkable defensive continuity, as 10 of the 11 starters from the end of the previous season have returned. This stability provides a strong foundation for the team’s defensive unit, which ranks among the league’s best when considering yardage and scoring defenses during the second half of 2024. The contributions of Jones and Knight, along with veterans such as Coby Bryant and Julian Love, will be critical to maintaining and advancing this trajectory.
Linebacker Group Showcased During Offseason Workouts
Throughout the Seahawks’ 2025 offseason workout sessions, the linebacker group, including Boye Mafe, Derick Hall, Connor O’Toole, Jamie Sheriff, Drake Thomas, Ernest Jones, and Tyrice Knight, displayed notable participation and effort. These workouts demonstrated the team’s commitment to building depth and refining the linebacker unit under Aden Durde’s guidance, ensuring readiness for the upcoming regular season.
Anticipated Impact and Expectations for the 2025 Defensive Unit
With the changes implemented last season beginning to yield results and the Seahawks cultivating both experienced and developing linebackers, the 2025 defense is poised for a significant step forward. The combination of Jones’ leadership and Knight’s developing prowess offers a dynamic duo that can anchor the unit. Their performance will likely shape the Seahawks’ ability to contend defensively in the highly competitive NFL landscape.