The Seattle Seahawks signed free-agent defensive lineman Jason Jones to a one-year, $4.5 million contract March 21 to improve their interior pass rush (the deal also had an additional $500,000 available in incentives). Jones hopes to parlay this season into a long-term contract, Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times reported Wednesday.
The 6-foot-5, 276-pound Jones had 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in 35 games over his first three seasons in the league. Jones played defensive end and defensive tackle from 2008 to 2010 in Tennessee, where he was coached by Jim Washburn, who employs a "Wide Nine" front and referred to sacks as "$ack$." But once Washburn moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011, Jones moved to defensive end and promptly had a career-low three sacks despite starting in 13 of 14 games.
Playing multiple positions in Tennessee should help Jones in Seattle. Jones will spell Red Bryant at the 5-technique end and be part of the rotation at the 3-technique in base defense, but his primary role will be as an interior pass rusher in nickel situations. The Seahawks have plenty of talent coming off the edge in Chris Clemons, who has posted back-to-back 11-sack seasons, and 2012 first-round pick Bruce Irvin (22.5 sacks in 26 games at West Virginia). Jones could clean up if he brings the "guard killer" mentality that Washburn preached to the defensive tackles in Nashville.
"That one-year deal is kind of the strategy for next year," Jones said. "Hopefully I can get a long-term deal."
