ERNEST JONES IV EXCLUSIVE: Super Bowl Champ Breaks Down Seahawks Free Agency Blitz

SEATTLE — The confetti from Super Bowl LX has barely settled at Lumen Field, but the “Dark Side” defense isn’t resting on its laurels. Fresh off a 29-13 dismantling of the New England Patriots, Seahawks linebacker and defensive anchor Ernest Jones IV joined NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on The Insiders to peel back the curtain on a roster undergoing a massive 2026 facelift.

While the city still buzzes from the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy, the business of football moved fast this week. The headline-grabber remains the departure of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jones didn’t mince words about losing the star back, but he made it clear the soul of this team resides in the defensive huddle. The Seahawks defense, which allowed just 13 points on the world’s biggest stage, remains the priority for general manager John Schneider.

Defending the Standard in 2026

Jones IV, who signed a three-year, $28.5 million extension prior to the championship run, is now the undisputed voice of Mike Macdonald’s scheme. Seattle moved aggressively this week to ensure Jones wasn’t a solo act. The front office locked down breakout linebacker Drake Thomas with a two-year, $8 million deal, securing a duo that combined for nearly 230 tackles last season. Jones noted that the chemistry with Thomas is “telepathic,” a trait that helped Seattle clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed in January.

The Seahawks also shored up the perimeter, re-signing cornerback Josh Jobe to a three-year deal worth up to $24 million. Jobe’s seven-tackle performance in the Super Bowl proved he was more than a stop-gap starter. On the other side of the ball, the team retained Pro Bowl returner and wideout Rashid Shaheed on a three-year contract, ensuring the special teams unit remains the league’s most lethal weapon.

“Losing K-9 hurts, man. That’s my brother. But this defense? We’re the ‘Dark Side’ for a reason. You saw what happened in San Francisco. We don’t just win; we suffocate teams. Keeping Drake [Thomas] and Josh [Jobe] means the standard doesn’t drop an inch. We’re coming for another ring.”
— Ernest Jones IV, Seattle Seahawks Linebacker

The Post-MVP Era: What’s Next

With Walker III heading to Arrowhead, the Seahawks face a stylistic pivot. Schneider has already begun the transition, signing Emanuel Wilson and retaining veteran depth to support a more committee-based backfield. However, the real story is the 2026 NFL Draft. Holding the 32nd overall pick, Seattle is in a prime position to reload. Expert analysis suggests Macdonald may look to add another twitchy edge rusher to a rotation that already decimated offensive lines throughout the 2025 postseason.

The Seahawks aren’t rebuilding; they are recalibrating. By securing the core of a defense that held opponents to under 17 points per game last season, Seattle enters the 2026 league year as the undisputed team to beat in the NFC. Jones IV is already back in the film room, proving that for the defending champs, the hunt never truly ends.