Former NC State Safety Josh Jones Makes Seahawks 53-Man Roster

Former NC State Safety Josh Jones has made the 53-man roster for the Seattle Seahawks.

Jones’ NFL career hasn’t gone as expected after being drafted in the 2nd round by the Green Bay Packers in 2017. After 2 years in Green Bay, he was waived with a non-football illness in August of 2019, after playing in 29 out of a possible 32 games (12 starts). Two months later he was scooped up by the Cowboys, and was placed on the Practice Squad. He was called up in November, and played in 6 games as a reserve, before being waived at the end of December. Jones was then picked up by Jacksonville, and entered the 2020 season as the starter, and started all 13 games he played in, prior to the 2021 season.

Last season was a roller coaster for Jones, playing 6 games with Indy and 4 games with Seattle, after being signed to the Practice Squad of each team initially.

The Seahawks believed in Jones enough to sign him once again in May of this year to a 1-year contract worth $1.09 million, but only the $50,000 signing bonus was guaranteed.

A roster spot was not a lock for Jones, but after being cut 4 times in the past 2.5 years, he has found a home in Seattle at the start of the 2022 season.

Jones had his thyroid removed in the Spring of last year, and is a player “reborn” according to himself, and Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll.

“Yeah, he’s had a very, very obvious camp,” coach Pete Carroll said. “I mean, he’s made plays in the running game, in the passing game. He probably has more picks than anyone. He’s playing all of the spots. We’re able to put him all over the place. He’s shown learning ability fine.

“He’s almost a reborn football player, to me. He had some issues over the years that things didn’t work out. …We came here and we gave him a clean slate and said ‘Start all over. I don’t care what happened before, we’re starting all over. You have a fresh start here and let’s go.’

“He’s been really important. It’s been a big opportunity for him with Ryan Neal not out there, and he’s taking advantage of that.” (The News Tribune)