Seattle exhaled Sunday night. After linebacker Ernest Jones IV exited the Seahawks 38-14 domination of the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football with a knee injury and was ruled out, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald downplayed long-term concern postgame. âItâs not season ending, but weâll see,â Macdonald said in a post-game press conference and reported by multiple outlets, adding that Jones has âa bit of a kneeâ and may miss a game or two while the team gathers more information.
A more formal update is likely to come in the next day or two.
What Macdonald Said & What It Means
The key takeaway is relief. Seattleâs on-field defensive signal-caller avoided the worst-case scenario, even if the immediate timeline remains unclear. Macdonaldâs phrasingâânot sure of immediate timeline,â âweâll seeâ — signals the organization will wait on follow-up evaluation before projecting a return date. Practically, that points to imaging and day-to-day rechecks early this week, with availability updates appearing on the first official practice report.
For fans tracking roles: if Jones sits briefly, Seattle can lean on Drake Thomas to wear the green dot, with Tyrice Knight factoring into base and sub packages depending on opponent and game script. That combination was already in motion after Jones left late in the first half, and it kept the communication chain intact the rest of the night.
Why Jones Matters So Much
Before the injury, Jones had six total tackles against the Washington Commanders and, more importantly, his usual command of Seattleâs front sevenâsetting run fits, checking coverages and disguising pressure. Since arriving via trade last season, heâs grown into the defenseâs traffic cop, the kind of middle-field presence you notice more when heâs not there. He also carries championship experience from his Super Bowl run with the Rams, a piece of institutional memory that shows up in tight red-zone calls and third-down adjustments.
Seattleâs scheme under Macdonald thrives on late movement, tight spacing and smart leverageâthings that are easier with a veteran communicator at the second level. Without Jones for a week or two, the Seahawks can trim the call sheet, emphasize fast communication, and let Thomasâ voice carry the huddle while Knightâs range covers grass.
The Short-Term Plan
Expect the club to proceed conservatively. If Jones is truly âa bit of a knee,â thereâs no incentive to force the issue in November. Thomas has shown he can handle the dot, and Knightâs snaps can scale to matchup needs. The staff can toggle personnelâbig nickel, 4â2â5, or heavier looksâwhile protecting the second level with cleaner fits from the front.
The Seahawks also signaled confidence with how they finished the game: the defense held its structure while the offense built a cushion. Thatâs usually the tell that the communication scaffolding is in place, even when the primary signal-caller exits.
The Seahawks will have two big NFC West tests to see how they fare, potentially without Jones. The Seahawks face the Cardinals in Seattle on Novermber 9, and then travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams on November 16.
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