Julio Jones has been ruled out for today’s game against the Raiders, the Falcons announced. The wide receiver was forced out of last week’s game against the Saints with tightness in his left hamstring and his condition has not gotten much better. 
The Falcons are 3-7 heading into today’s contest, so they don’t have much on the line for the rest of this year. Many would argue that there’s little sense in rushing Jones back to the field this year, but they’d have a hard time convincing the veteran to sit out. The Falcons will have a chance to avenge their 24-9 loss to the Saints next week and Jones will surely be chomping at the bit.
Jones, 31, has caught 45 passes for 677 yards and three touchdowns across eight games this season. It’s a far cry from his usual stat line, though we’ve seen glimpses of Jones at his best. In the season opener, Jones managed nine grabs for 157 yards in a losing effort against the Seahawks. And, just a few weeks ago, Jones went off for seven catches and 137 yards as the Falcons topped the Panthers.
The Falcons have Jones under contract through 2023 thanks to the three-year, $66MM re-up he signed last year.
At this rate, the way The Raiders are playing…..
Julio Jones isn’t needed.