To Geno Smith, the Seahawks' trade this week to acquire middle linebacker Ernest Jones IV was business as usual.
"We're always striving to do whatever it takes to get better, and that goes for everybody in the building,'' said Smith, who arrived to Seattle in 2019 and suddenly has the third-longest continuous seniority as a Seahawk behind only Tyler Lockett (2015) and Michael Dickson (2018).
"I think when you look at it, I've always felt like that's been the case. I think these moves are no different than what we've always done."
Still, this week's trade for Jones and last week's addition of defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris in a trade with Jacksonville sent a definite message -- the Seahawks are going for it.
True, neither cost a whole lot.
Jones' pro-rated cap hit for the rest of the season is just over $1.9 million, about the same as that of Jerome Baker, who was part of the package Seattle dealt to get him.
That leaves the Seahawks with just over $9.2 million in cap space.
And true, the picks Seattle gave up in the trades for Jones (Seattle also sent a fourth-rounder in 2025 to the Titans) and Robertson-Harris (a sixth in 2026) aren't overly prohibitive. And Seattle made the trade for Jones knowing it is likely to get three compensatory picks in 2025 for free agents lost, including a fourth.
Jones is also roughly three years younger than Baker, potentially a big part of the team's future if the team signs him after the season when his contract lapses.
But these were also deals making clear the Seahawks think the future is now.
Seattle's offense showed against in last Sunday's 34-14 win over Atlanta it can be as explosive as most in the NFL on a week-in, week-out basis --- when not stopping itself with turnovers and penalties.
The obvious struggle has been getting the defense to match it.
Enter Robertson-Harris and now Jones, each acquired in large part to help fix a run defense that ranks 28th in the NFL in yards per attempt at 5.0, still on track to be the worst in team history.
Even Tyrel Dodson, who will now move from middle linebacker to weakside to make way for Jones, understood and embraced the move.
"He's a big run-stopper,'' Dodson said of the 6-foot-2, 233-pound Jones. "We need a big dude like that in the middle. I'm happy he's here, I'm happy to have him."
That's exactly the words coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider want to hear, feeling that's indicative of the kind of environment they hope the team always has.
"This is an opportunity for us to make a move that's really good for our football team, we think, and we're excited to do it,'' Macdonald said of the trade.
The Seahawks (4-3) will get their first look at their new-look linebacking corps Sunday when they host the first-place Buffalo Bills (5-2) at 1:05 p.m. at Lumen Field.
That Jones didn't arrive until late Wednesday night means there could be some growing pains Sunday as he and Dodson learn how to work together in the middle of the defense.
But overall, on paper this presents as the best defense Seattle has yet been able to field this season.
The team's cornerbacks may also be back to full health with Riq Woolen returning and Tre Brown listed as questionable, but trending toward playing. That could allow Seattle to play with its opening-day starting cornerback trio for the first time since the Oct. 6 game against the Giants.
The defensive front is essentially at full strength with first-round pick Byron Murphy II back and Robertson-Harris added (with the caveat that edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu remains out).
And Coby Bryant proved a more-than-able replacement for the injured Rayshawn Jenkins at safety against the Falcons.
No team is ever in perfect health this time of year, and the Seahawks may have one big loss to overcome on offense with leading receiver DK Metcalf listed as doubtful with a sprained knee.
It was Metcalf who spurred the offense early last week with four catches for 99 yards and a TD in the first half -- as well as drawing a 17-yard pass interference penalty on the first drive.
That allowed Seattle to take a 17-7 lead and give the team some badly-needed positive reinforcement after having lost its previous three games.
"I think the most notable impact was just the overall morale,'' Smith said of the fast start against the Falcons. "Obviously, coming off of those losses, we needed to start fast to kind of get our energy going, and I thought we did a great job at that throughout the game. I felt like we sustained our energy. You could see it all over the tape, man, guys were just giving extra effort and that's something that we have really been talking about and so we want to continue to build on that and keep getting better each week."
A loaded Bills team that is fifth in points scored per game at 28.5 and eighth in points allowed per game at 19.4 will provide Seattle not only a stiff challenge but a good litmus test of the revamped defense.
Seattle allowed 42 and 36 points against the other two offenses that statistically compared to the Bills -- Detroit and San Francisco.
But the game also provides opportunity.
The win over Atlanta coupled with San Francisco's home loss to Kansas City put Seattle back in front of the NFC West at 4-3 to the 3-4 of the 49ers and Arizona.
The Buffalo game also kicks off a stretch of three of four at home through Dec. 1, with the only trip in that time the shortest one it has all year -- on Nov. 17 at San Francisco.
If the Seahawks can beat the Bills and then the Rams at home next week, they can be assured of heading to San Francisco with at least a game lead on the 49ers and a chance to take control of the division race in that game.
Lockett, though, said players aren't looking that far ahead, all seeing again the last few weeks how quickly things can change in the NFL.
"I think those are for people that are fans that can have a great week that week knowing we're winning, leading the NFC (West),'' he said. "But for the most part you never know what the end of that story is going to entail.''