5 Qs and 5 As with The Phinsider on new Seahawks linebacker Jerome Baker

The Seattle Seahawks enter the 2024 season with a lot of new faces across the coaching staff and the roster. One of the main storylines this offseason has been the makeover of the inside linebacker position. Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks left in free agency, and in their place are free agents Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, as well as fourth-round rookie Tyrice Knight.

Unlike Dodson, who was an unrestricted free agent, Baker was a salary cap casualty who was let go by the Miami Dolphins with a year remaining on his contract. There were discussions between Baker and Miami to work a restructured deal, but ultimately the two sides parted ways. While the Dolphins added Jordyn Brooks on a three-year contract, the Seahawks picked up Baker on a one-year agreement.

If you’re familiar with the 5 Qs and 5 As weekly game previews we do during the season, we’re doing a few special “free agent signing” versions of 5 Qs and 5 As throughout the remainder of the offseason. Actually, we already did one for the Sam Howell trade a few months back if you’re interested.

We’re starting our free agent Q&A series with Kevin Nogle, managing editor at The Phinsider. Read his thoughts and insight on Jerome Baker.

1.) Baker recorded 12.5 sacks from 2020 to 2021. Was he as good a pass-rushing linebacker as advertised or was he involved in a lot of clean-up sacks?

Baker’s a really good blitzing linebacker. He uses his speed and agility to get through gaps in the line and chase down quarterbacks, and he was asked to do that a lot in 2020 and 2021. He was listed as a middle linebacker, but he really did kick outside as a edge rusher a lot, especially in 2020 and 2021, and he excelled when asked to get after the quarterback. His speed really is his strong suit, and playing downhill, getting after the quarterback on a blitz fits perfectly into his game.

2.) How much did Baker’s role change under Vic Fangio compared to his three seasons under preceding defensive coordinator Josh Boyer?

In the Brian Flores/Josh Boyer defensive system, the Dolphins ran a lot of amoeba looks, with players lined up all around the field, then shifting into the coverage scheme at the snap. Miami would line eight players up on the line of scrimmage, then have some drop back - we would see defensive Christian Wilkins suddenly in the middle of the defense like a middle linebacker making a play while Baker was pass rushing like a defensive end. It was crazy and it worked so very well - as long as the Dolphins cornerbacks were healthy and able to play man-on-man. Fangio’s defense is much different than the previous system, and Baker’s role drastically changed. Instead of being a blitz-heavy player who could get after quarterbacks, Baker was asked to be more of a true inside linebacker, stuffing the run and dropping into coverage. I think he only had something like 50-55 pass rush attempts during the season, which was much lower than we were used to seeing from him. Baker missed games for the first time in his career, accounting for some of the drop off, but it felt like the Dolphins were using him in a role where he could be a very solid player instead of a role where he could be a star on the defense.

3.) How is Baker’s pass coverage compared to his run defense?

I do not know that I would call either a strength of Baker’s, but he has gotten better at both as his career has developed. He can step up and make a tackle in the run game and he can use his speed to keep up with players in pass coverage, but neither is as good as his ability to pass rush. I feel like I am talking more about an edge rusher than a middle linebacker, but blitzing really is where Baker can make the most impact. He is a good play caller for the defense and he has good play diagnostic skills as well. His speed lets him play sideline-to-sideline well. Opposing offenses took advantage of the Dolphins’ inside linebackers in the passing game last year, but I feel that was more a response to the zone defense that Fangio was running than it was teams actively targeting Baker. I guess my answer here is, Baker is a very solid jack-of-all-trades type where pass rushing is his speciality and everything else is good with occasional frustration.

4.) Baker was a cap casualty with a year left on his contract. How much of it do you believe was due to performance how much was it down to the injuries he suffered toward the end of the season that led to his release with an injury designation?

I think Miami really would have liked to have him back this year, but the cap situation just did not allow it. They saved almost $10 million against the cap by releasing him, which went a long way to helping a team that was projected to be $55 million over the cap. Baker did not want to take a pay cut or restructure his contract, so the Dolphins were forced to release him. His absence definitely opened a hole on the roster than Miami is hoping your old friend Jordyn Brooks or former Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns linebacker Anthony Walker, Jr., can fill.

5.) From a Miami perspective, do you see Jordyn Brooks as an upgrade from Jerome Baker?

I would like to think so, but the issue right now is we just do not really know how new defensive coordinator and former Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver will scheme the defense. That said, Brooks’ speed and his tackling ability should absolutely be on display. If Brooks can step into the hole left by Baker, serve as the signal caller and diagnose plays as quickly as he moves, the Dolphins should have an upgrade. That said, it could prove to be more about system fit than it is about the actual player, especially when it comes to Baker’s role with the Seahawks.

Thanks to Kevin for answering my questions, and hopefully you have a better sense of what to expect from Baker (pending his injury recovery). Later this month our next Q&A will be with Buffalo Rumblings’ Matthew Byham on Tyrel Dodson.