Seahawks trade for former UW standout Sidney Jones to add to the cornerback position

With cutdown day looming Tuesday, the Seahawks made an addition Monday by trading for a former University of Washington standout, Sidney Jones, to add to one of the team’s most unsettled positions — cornerback.

Seattle gave up a sixth-round choice in 2022 to Jacksonville to get Jones, according to multiple reports.

Jones was the 43^rd overall selection in the 2017 draft by the Eagles after a standout career as a Husky.

But Jones suffered an Achilles tendon injury during his pro day at UW in 2017 and has been dogged by injuries throughout his four-year NFL career.

Jones has played in just 31 of a possible 64 regular-season games, with 14 starts, and last September was cut by the Eagles before landing with Jacksonville.

Jones played in nine games with six starts for the Jaguars last season, playing primarily right cornerback.

Jones played 91 snaps in three preseason games with Jacksonville, allowing nine receptions on 13 targets, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF listed those snaps as coming at right cornerback.

He played 184 snaps on the right side and 66 on the left side in 2020, according to PFF. Jones also played extensively in the slot with the Eagles, getting 199 of his 343 total snaps there in 2018.

But he was expendable in part because Jacksonville added former Seahawk Shaquill Griffin at cornerback this offseason, signing him to a three-year deal worth up to $40 million.

The trade is the second Seattle has made for a cornerback in the past week as the Seahawks earlier added John Reid, giving up a conditional seventh-round choice in 2023 to Houston. Reid played left cornerback in Seattle’s final preseason game.

Seattle’s cornerback spot remains unsettled with coach Pete Carroll last week indicating that neither starting spot is set.

Ahkello Witherspoon was signed in the spring to a one-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $4 million and has typically been the starter on the left side. But Carroll said last week he considered Damarious Randall as still in competition for that spot. Randall played 27 snaps in the past two games on the left side, 21 against the Chargers, allowing three receptions on four targets for 31 yards, according to PFF.

D.J. Reed, who began camp as the presumptive starter on the right side, did not play in preseason games due to a groin injury with Tre Flowers taking over.

Reed, however, returned to practice last week, and Flowers has a non-guaranteed $2.1 million salary for the 2021 season, which could factor into the team’s plans. Jones is due to make $1.05 million this season.

Rookie Tre Brown, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, had been making a move up the depth chart but missed the game Saturday with a knee sprain. Carroll said Brown would be ready for the opener but also admitted last week that his injury was one reason the team wanted to trade for Reid.

That the Seahawks gave up a conditional pick for Reid could mean that he is much more questionable to make the roster now with the trade for Jones. It’s unclear what the condition is but it likely involves making the roster and/or hitting certain amounts of snap counts or games played. The Seahawks said they also liked Reid’s special-teams ability and his speed. But Reid is in only his second season after being taken in the fourth round last year by Houston, playing 145 snaps. Jones’ experience — and that it is listed that Seattle gave up a pick with no conditions — might mean the Seahawks now will view Reid as expendable.

Seattle last week also cut veteran Pierre Desir, who re-signed last spring, and earlier in camp also cut former Husky Jordan Miller, a fifth-round pick of the Falcons in 2019 who was playing primarily nickel.

The Seahawks have to cut their roster from 80 to 53 by Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Seattle was reported to have made two cuts Monday — receiver Darece Roberson Jr., and tight end Ian Bunting. PFF reported the waiving of Roberson and ESPN reported the waiving of Bunting.