Updated Mar 26, 2012 - 1:42 pm
Seahawks hope Jason Jones can improve pass-rush
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By Brady Henderson
NFL players sometimes chose one-year deals with the idea that playing in a favorable situation will help position them for a bigger contact a season later.
That's why defensive lineman Jason Jones signed with the Seahawks, choosing Seattle over returning to Tennessee or playing in St. Louis for his former head coach.
"He saw what Chris Clemons has done and what Raheem [Brock] has done and Dexter [Davis] in his first year," Seahawks general manager John Schneider told "Bob and Groz" on Tuesday. "So to be able to come in here and be a situational interior pass-rusher -- which we've really been lacking over the last several years -- to come in here and be able to jump off the ball, really that noise factor was a big deal for him."
Schneider added: "We think he's got a big upside and he thinks he's got a big upside as well so he's looking at this as a proving ground. And again I think it's a credit to the 12th Man because he saw this is a stadium he could come into and be incredibly effective."
Jones, 25, averaged just over 28 tackles and four sacks in his first three seasons with the Titans, who drafted him in the second round out of Eastern Michigan in 2008. That was all while playing defensive tackle, his preferred and more familiar position. The consensus is that his move to end last season contributed to his slight dip in production.
The Seahawks tied for 19th in the league last season with 33 sacks, 11 of which came from defensive end Chris Clemons. No other Seattle defender had more than four sacks.
The Seahawks hope Jones can provide pass-rush help from the tackle position in obvious passing situations, but they also plan to utilize his versatility. Jones is 6-foot-5 and 276 pounds and has quickness that coach Pete Carroll said is unusual for someone his size.
"We're hoping that we can really feature him in all of our nickel package stuff and also fit him in to other situations that will suit him," Carroll said during a conference call Monday. "But we'd like to see him as an inside rusher for those packages and then we'll play him some outside and times in some different spots that try to utilize his quickness.
"He's got big-play ability to him, he attacks the football really well, he forces fumbles, he knocks passes down and he's got an activity to him that we think can really help us and enhance a pass-rush that needs to continue to grow."
Jones, a guest on "Bob and Groz" on Wednesday, said: "I think I'm more comfortable as an inside pass-rusher but I know Seattle is going to ask me to play defensive end, play the '6' technique in certain situations. It really doesn't matter to me. I think as long as I'm out there on the field I think I can make plays wherever I'm at."
The one-year deal Jones signed with Seattle over the weekend will reportedly pay him $4.5 million and includes another $500,000 in incentives. He met with the Rams before visiting the Seahawks late last week.
"The Rams do have a good coaching staff," he said, "but I think with Pete Carroll and with [defensive coordinator] Gus Bradley and [defensive line coach] Todd Wash, those guys over there, they're excited about what they're doing. They're good football coaches.
"... I think the fit that they've got for me in Seattle is a perfect one."
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Toughact52 wrote...It's amazing knowbody here is talking about this F/A signing..March 22, 2012 6:20 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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sportsguru wrote...Toughact52March 22, 2012 10:04 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Toughact52 wrote...I'm w/ you sportsguru.....March 23, 2012 5:30 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Bob Stelton is the co-host of "Bob and Groz". He came to 710 ESPN Seattle from 101 ESPN in St. Louis and had previously worked for Sporting News Radio in Chicago and Santa Monica, Calif. Bob began his radio career in Seattle in 1997 after a failed attempt to become a rock star. 
Dave Grosby is the co-host of "Bob and Groz." The Groz has spent the last 21 years of his 39-year broadcast career as a Seattle sports talk show host. Dave is also the play-by-play announcer for Seattle U basketball on KTTH 770. Before coming to Seattle, Dave worked at KFI in Los Angeles and KFBK in Sacramento. He's been married to his wife Bonnie for 23 years.
After two years as the producer for "Brock and Salk," Colin Paisley now produces "Bob and Groz." Colin also hosts "Seattle Sports at Night" with Tom Wassell and Matt Pitman. Colin came to 710 ESPN Seattle after five years at various FM music stations in Bellingham and Seattle. In addition to his time as producer and host, Colin likes to spend his time embracing his "Slacker Gen-Y" persona by napping and not caring about stuff. Plus he likes tons of bands you've never heard of, and once you hear of them he'll stop liking them.
