Seattle acquired Ernest Jones IV for Jerome Baker and a 2025…
Seattle acquired Ernest Jones IV for Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick, then watched Jones become a defensive centerpiece. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025, helped Seattle win Super Bowl LX and remained with the club on a new contract. Tennessee still produced useful value through Gunnar Helm, but Jones' impact makes this a clear Seahawks victory.
Seattle Seahawks Received
- player Ernest Jones
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Jerome Baker
- pick 2025 4th round pick (120th overall, Gunnar Helm )
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Seattle acquired linebacker Ernest Jones IV from Tennessee on October 23, 2024, sending linebacker Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Tennessee used that selection, No. 120, on tight end Gunnar Helm. The trade initially looked like a veteran-for-veteran adjustment with draft compensation balancing the exchange, but the subsequent results created much more separation than the original C/C grades reflected.
Why Seattle Won Big
Jones quickly became the centerpiece of Seattle's linebacker group and then stayed beyond the rental window. The Seahawks re-signed him in March 2025, and his next season elevated the deal from useful to exceptional. Jones recorded 126 tackles and five interceptions in 2025, earned second-team Associated Press All-Pro recognition and played a major role for the Super Bowl LX champions. Seattle acquired that level of production without surrendering a premium pick. His ability to stay on the field and handle an every-down role magnified the value further.
How Tennessee Still Found Value
The Titans did not come away empty. Helm caught 44 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie while starting 10 games, giving Tennessee an inexpensive young tight end from the fourth-round selection. Baker also supplied the veteran component of the original return. Those pieces justify a solid grade and keep the trade from becoming a one-sided failure.
Final Verdict
Seattle receives an A and the win, while Tennessee earns a B-. Helm's early production is encouraging, but an All-Pro linebacker on a championship team is the strongest realized asset in the exchange. Jones' performance and retention make Seattle the clear winner.
Seattle acquired Ernest Jones IV for Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick, then watched Jones become a defensive centerpiece. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025, helped Seattle win Super Bowl LX and remained with the club on a new contract. Tennessee still produced useful value through Gunnar Helm, but Jones' impact makes this a clear Seahawks victory.