With both Justin Strnad and Cody Barton scheduled to be free agents, the Denver Broncos will likely be looking to sign a linebacker in free agency. Could Ernest Jones find his way to the Mile High City?
The Denver Broncos will be in hot pursuit of upgrading their roster once the free agency period officially begins in a few weeks. One position group on the team that looks poised to have an addition is the linebacker position.
Justin Strnad and Cody Barton performed admirably this past season, but both are free agents. Additionally, veteran Alex Singleton is still recovering from a torn ACL that sidelined him for most all of 2024. With no long-term player in the fold at inside linebacker, it seems reasonable to believe the Broncos could be big players finding an outside addition in a talented pool of players on the market.
One of the better players on the market is Ernest Jones. Let’s take a look and see if the Broncos should consider signing him this offseason.
The #Seahawks and standout LB Ernest Jones IV, who were engaged in extension talks, have amicably paused discussions, per agents @agentturner1 and @Agentbutler1. While the sides could pick it back up at any time and he would love to return, Jones appears set to hit the FA market. pic.twitter.com/2w3IppafJU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2025
Ernest Jones — Linebacker
Age: 25 | Experience: Fifth | Height: 6’2” | Weight: 235 pounds
A third-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, Ernest Jones played with them for three seasons [winning Super Bowl LVI) and was a full-time starter for them in 2023. In 2024, he was traded twice and spent time with the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.
After four seasons in the National Football League, Jones has appeared in 63 games with 48 starts. He has racked up 458 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 4 interceptions, and 16 passes defended. Jones’ best season in the league was in ‘23 when he had 145 tackles (14 for loss), 6 quarterback hits, and a 90.0 PFF run grade, which was one of the best in the National Football League.
Splitting his time between the Titans and Seahawks in ‘24, Jones’ grades in run defense and coverage took a step back compared to the year prior. With that in mind, should he be a player the Broncos pursue in free agency?
Why the Broncos should sign Ernest Jones
As mentioned earlier, with both Strnad and Barton being free agents, as well as Alex Singleton recovering from an ACL injury, the Broncos don’t have much depth at the inside linebacker positions. It’s quite possible they choose to retain one of the aforementioned, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they made a splash here in free agency. It’s definitely one of the positions where they really need a starting caliber player added into the fold immediately.
While Jones’ play declined from ‘23 to ‘24, he is still a good defender against the run [also sports a very low misses tackle rate] and was very successful as a blitzer in his last season with the Rams. Both are good qualities to have, and the latter fits in with Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s style of play from his inside linebackers—he gets that ‘pressure player’ designation. Those are two reasons I like his fit here.
Why the Broncos shouldn’t sign Ernest Jones
There are a few reasons why the Broncos should avoid signing Jones. According to Spotrac, they estimate his value at $13 million per season which would be a Top 5 linebacker contract in the league. I believe that’s quite a bit high for Jones. On top of that, he has struggled in coverage throughout his rookie contract. One could argue they might be better off drafting a linebacker who can come in and compete as a rookie and potentially earn a starting role.
Final thoughts
Jones is a good player and would be a nice addition for the Broncos. He seems like a more realistic option than Zack Baun or Nick Bolton who will likely earn top dollar on the open market. However, just like with other potential free agent acquisitions, the contract and market value are the biggest issue. A multi-year deal around $10 million a season would be palpable [pending structure], but anything more than that seems like an overpay.