Julio Jones and the Falcons have reached a compromise. The star wide receiver will participate in training camp and the two sides will go back to the negotiating table next year. 
“We have had continued dialogue all offseason with Julio and his representation. We have come to an agreement with Julio, and we will re-address everything in 2019. I appreciate everyone’s hard work and communication on this,” GM Thomas Dimitroff said in a statement. “This adjustment does not impede us from working on other extensions with other key members of our football team. We will continue to work on those contracts going forward.”
The Falcons converted roughly $2MM of Jones’ 2019 base salary into a bonus for 2018, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic (on Twitter) hears. That’s far from the mega extension that Jones was gunning for, but it’ll be enough to get him on the practice field and focused on football.
Last year, Jones had 88 receptions for 1,444 yards and he has given the Falcons four straight seasons with at least 1,400 yards receiving.. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his last five healthy seasons, positioning himself as one of the very best wide receivers in the game. However, with three years to go on his current contract, he didn’t have quite enough leverage to get a new deal.
Still doesn’t have much leverage next year with 2 years on contract and a franchise tag to go….but good luck
A lot can happen in 2 years which is why he probably is pushing for a re-structuring of the contract. Management is in a tough spot because he is closing in on 30 and they can only guess how many more years he can perform at a high level. If his performance slips they won’t be tagging him at age 32.
2 million bonus this year plus salary for 3 touchdown catches ??
1400+ yards, single coverage for your other recovers and one less guy in the box for the run game.
Well that didn’t last long.