Julio Jones

Would Falcons Take Second-Round Pick For Julio Jones?

May 31st, 2021 at 10:00am CST by Zachary Links

By all accounts, the Falcons are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Julio Jones. But, in reality, they’d accept a second-round choice for the All-Pro wide receiver, a source tells Peter King of The MMQB.

[RELATED: Jones May Want New Deal]

That would certainly help to facilitate a trade. Jones, 32, is scheduled to make $38MM over the next three years. Meanwhile, the Falcons star could demand a new deal (read: more guaranteed money). Between his age, injuries, and the possibility of having to dish out even more money, it’s hard to imagine anyone sacrificing a Round 1 choice.

Reportedly, one club did offer a first-round pick for Jones, but King is skeptical. Meanwhile, some of the teams tied to Jones do not own their 2022 first-round pick. Instead, as King’s source indicates, the Falcons could be okay with a 2022 second-rounder. In theory, the Falcons can drag things out over the summer, but it’s hard to imagine even a ’23 or ’24 first-round pick being offered.

Jones could be traded as soon as Wednesday, when the Falcons (and other clubs) can divide dead money between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Seahawks have recently entered the sweepstakes, but the Titans and 49ers appear to be his most likely destinations. The Niners, led by Jones’ former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, would make lots of sense. When they were together in 2015 and 2016, Jones went off for 3,280 yards from scrimmage with 14 touchdowns.

Falcons’ Julio Jones Wants New Deal

May 31st, 2021 at 9:30am CST by Zachary Links

Julio Jones wants out and the Falcons are willing to accommodate his request. However, if he’s traded, Jones may ask his new club for a fresh contract, according to a source who spoke with PFT.

As it stands, Jones is set to earn a guaranteed $15.3MM in 2021. In 2022, he’s under contract for $15.5MM in 2022, which is only partially guaranteed for $2MM. Then, in 2023, he’s set to collect $11.5MM, though that sum is completely non-guaranteed.

In total, Jones’ three-year, $66MM deal gave him an average annual value of $22MM and $64MM guaranteed at signing. However, the Falcons have already paid out the bulk of those guarantees, so the 32-year-old may want his new team to have some skin in the game.

That would be yet another roadblock for interested teams, many of whom have already been scared off by the Falcons’ ask of a first-round pick. The Rams, for instance, have discussed Jones, but they’re already without their first-rounders in 2022 and 2023. The Seahawks have already surrendered their ’22 first-round pick, so they might not want to give up their next one and shell out a mega-deal for the aging star.

The Titans and the 49ers appear to be Jones’ most likely destinations right now, but it’s not clear if they’d be willing to give Jones a new contract. Either way, we should have more clarity on Jones’ situation this week when the Falcons are able to trade Jones as a post-June 1 transaction.

Rams Out On Julio Jones?

May 30th, 2021 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have discussed Julio Jones, but they’re not currently in the mix for the wide receiver (via PFT). While things could change, the cost appears to be too high for a team that’s already short on draft capital.

[RELATED: Rams Discuss Julio Jones]

The Falcons are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for the multiple-time All-Pro. Meanwhile, the Rams have already surrendered their 2022 and 2023 first-round picks to the Lions in order to acquire Matthew Stafford. And, similar to Atlanta, they’re tight against the cap. Jones is due a guaranteed $15.3MM this year. Beyond that, he’s set to make $15.5MM in 2022, with a couple million already locked in, followed by another $11.5MM in 2023.

The Rams would love to have Jones (who wouldn’t?) but going the next three seasons without a first-round pick would be a challenge, especially when considering that Jones is 32 and coming off of injury. They also don’t need Jones as badly as, say, the rival Seahawks, who are hoping to placate Russell Wilson with a top-tier target.

For now, the Rams’ WR group is headlined by Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, legendary deep threat DeSean Jackson, 2020 second-round pick Van Jefferson, and 2021 second-round pick Tutu Atwell.

Seahawks Interested In Julio Jones

May 30th, 2021 at 12:22pm CST by Rory Parks

Add another team to the Julio Jones sweepstakes. This morning, we learned that the Rams and Titans have discussed a Jones trade with the Falcons, with Tennessee being viewed as the likeliest landing spot. But as Dianna Russini of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter), the Seahawks have also talked trade with Atlanta. Russini adds that Seattle QB Russell Wilson and Jones have spoken about the possibility of playing together.

Earlier this year, Wilson was the subject of his own trade speculation, and one of the catalysts of those rumors was Wilson’s public dissatisfaction with his offensive line. The club acquired talented RG Gabe Jackson via trade but otherwise didn’t do a ton to supplement Wilson’s cadre of blockers. However, adding Jones to a WR corps that already includes D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett would probably make Wilson pretty happy, especially if new OC Shane Waldron implements a pass-heavy game plan.

Like several of Jones’ other suitors, the Seahawks do not possess a 2022 first-round choice. But most reporters are skeptical that the Falcons will actually get that type of value in a Jones trade, and it seems that a 2022 second-round pick is the more likely compensation. Seattle only had three selections in this year’s draft, which is reflective of the club’s willingness to move draft capital in exchange for proven talent, though if it were to deal its 2022 second-rounder, it would have to wait until Round 3 to pick its first collegiate player next year.

Plus, the ‘Hawks did select deep threat D’Wayne Eskridge in the second round of this year’s draft, and the team would need to create significant cap space to facilitate a Jones acquisition. So there are hurdles to be cleared if the Seahawks are serious about making a run at Jones, but it appears to be in the realm of possibility.

Meanwhile, reiterating his report from yesterday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says the division-rival 49ers are still a team to keep an eye on, and that the Ravens would be willing to get involved if the price is right (Twitter link).

Rams, Titans Have Discussed Julio Jones Trade; Titans Now The Frontrunner?

May 30th, 2021 at 10:35am CST by Rory Parks

10:35am: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says that the Titans, not the 49ers, are currently expected to land Jones, and that a second-round pick will be headed to Atlanta in exchange. Florio was clear that he is not reporting the Titans have offered or will offer a second-rounder, or that the Falcons — who are still holding out for a first-round choice — will accept it. He is merely pointing out that the general consensus among league execs is that a Tennessee-Atlanta trade featuring a second-rounder is the most likely outcome.

09:06am: Yesterday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the 49ers are the team that has been most connected to Falcons receiver Julio Jones in league circles. Fowler also indicated that the Rams were in the mix, which was the first time we had heard Los Angeles pop up in Jones rumors.

Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network has taken that one step further, reporting that the Rams have discussed a Jones trade with Atlanta (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). Like the Niners, the Rams would be unable to send a 2022 or even a 2023 first-round pick to the Falcons in exchange for Jones, as their top selections in the next two drafts have been traded away in separate transactions. So if Atlanta really does have an offer in hand that includes a 2022 first-rounder, it would seem that both San Francisco and LA would be out of the running.

However, there has been plenty of skepticism that a club has actually ponied up a first-round pick for Jones, especially given Atlanta’s limited leverage. Garafolo also expressed doubt that the Falcons will end up getting a first.

Their draft pick situation aside, the Rams also seem to be an unlikely fit since they have limited cap space and have already devoted considerable resources to the wide receiver position. The 49ers, on the other hand, have the cap space, the WR need, and an obvious connection to Jones in head coach Kyle Shanahan, Jones’ former OC in Atlanta. That is perhaps why the Niners are viewed as the clubhouse favorites for the seven-time Pro Bowler.

The Titans also have an obvious hole at wide receiver and would presumably love to have Jones on their roster. Garafolo says that Tennessee has indeed talked about a Jones swap with the Falcons. But if the Titans were to swing a deal, GM Jon Robinson would need to do a fair amount of maneuvering to create sufficient cap space, and Atlanta might need to absorb even more of a financial hit than it was planning on.

Right now, no deal is imminent, according to Garafolo. So even though the Falcons could realistically trade Jones this week — a post-June 1 transaction is the only way this ever made sense — it seems it will take a little longer than that to reach a resolution.

Falcons Setting High Price For Julio Jones; 49ers In Mix

May 29th, 2021 at 3:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Shanahan did not indicate a reunion with Julio Jones was off the table, and it now looks like the 49ers are involved in these sweepstakes.

The 49ers are the team coming up most regarding Jones around the league, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who indicated during a SportsCenter appearance San Francisco is in the mix for the seven-time Pro Bowler — to some degree. While the 49ers would not be able to match the reported offer of a first-round pick, they do have a strong roster equipped to contend in the NFC this season. A healthy Jones would certainly help the team do so.

The Trey Lance trade stripped the 49ers of their 2022 and ’23 first-round picks, so building a competitive offer will be more challenging — if a first-round pick is indeed on the table for Jones. The Falcons are still holding out hope for a big offer, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noting the team’s asking price is viewed as “outlandish” in league circles as of Saturday. Four days remain until a Jones trade can realistically take place, and a few teams remain in this somewhat blurry picture.

Tennessee emerged as the first rumored landing spot, and Fowler adds Baltimore could join the fray if the asking price is right. The Ravens have been connected to a host of big-name receivers this offseason, and while a few of them declined free agency offers, Jones’ attitude regarding their run-heavy offense would not matter in a trade for a player with a no-trade clause. The Rams, despite their crowded receiver room, also popped up in Fowler’s report. Los Angeles and Baltimore have done plenty to add at receiver this year; each franchise used its first draft pick to address the position and each signed a veteran (DeSean Jackson and Sammy Watkins, respectively). The Rams are often in the mix for high-profile trade targets, but they would not seem a fit. They have Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp signed to lucrative long-term deals.

Conversely, the 49ers’ top two receivers — Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk — are on rookie contracts. San Francisco has avoided splashy receiver signings since their 2017 Pierre Garcon deal did not work out, but Shanahan did sign off on sending third- and fourth-round picks for Emmanuel Sanders in 2019. That trade made a difference in the 49ers reaching Super Bowl LIV. Jones, 32, enjoyed his most productive season — a 136-catch, 1,871-yard 2015 showing — during Shanahan’s two-year Atlanta OC stay and would be in a better position than most late-summer arrivals due to his experience in the well-regarded play-caller’s offense.

The Falcons are still asking interested teams to pay all of Jones’ $15.3MM 2021 salary — a tough sell for most, given the limited cap space around the league — and $2MM in 2022 guaranteed pay, Florio adds. Jones is due base salaries of $11.5MM in 2022 and ’23. The 49ers hold more than $17MM in cap space, which ranks in the top 10. The Patriots have come up as Jones suitors as well, but they may be cooling on this prospect.

Browns Will Not Pursue Julio Jones; Patriots’ Interest Mild?

May 28th, 2021 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after any potential Browns-Aaron Rodgers rumors stopped in their tracks early, the ascending team will pass on the latest big name connected to a trade.

Cleveland is not interested in Julio Jones, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot, who adds no Odell Beckham Jr.-for-Jones swap should be expected. Despite a rocky start in Ohio, which has involved trade rumblings, Beckham remains a player the Browns are high on. They are eager to see him back healthy in 2021, with Cabot adding the team has no plans to adjust its receiver room — which houses OBJ, Jarvis Landry and the recently re-signed Rashard Higgins — at this juncture.

While Cleveland did not profile as a Jones fit, Super Bowl aspirations notwithstanding, New England does. The Patriots have held internal discussions on the future Hall of Fame wideout, but the franchise known to make a splashy receiver trade from time to time may sit this one out. At this point, the Patriots’ interest in Jones is tepid, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.

The Patriots reside in the top 10 in cap space ($15MM-plus), but they have not signed their top three draft picks. That will account for a few million. Though New England could move some funds around, the Falcons having a first-rounder on the table may change the equation for the Pats. Atlanta would surely prefer to send Jones to the AFC, but if an NFC team is the only one offering a first, that may well take precedence.

New England signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne early in free agency, with Agholor collecting more guaranteed money than all but two 2021 UFA receivers (Kenny Golladay and Corey Davis). The Patriots clearly have big plans for the ex-Eagles and Raiders wideout, even though he has been inconsistent. Jones would certainly help Cam Newton and/or Mac Jones, but he does not have a no-trade clause. He may well be sent elsewhere.

First-Round Pick Offered For Falcons’ Julio Jones

May 27th, 2021 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have received several trade offers for Julio Jones, including one that includes a first-round draft pick, sources tell Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Russini adds that there’s a sense around the NFL that a trade could go down as early as next week.

Plenty of teams figure to have interest in the wide receiver. It’s been said that the Patriots, Titans, and 49ers could be among those in the mix.

“Well, you know I’m not legally allowed to talk about players on other teams, so I can’t answer that exactly the way you want me to,” Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said earlier this week. “Anyone I’ve coached in the past that I have a relationship with, especially a great dude like Julio, obviously I have a ton of respect for. We’re always interested in improving our team. We’ll never just say, ‘Hey, we’re done. We can’t improve our team.’ You always try to make that happen. But, yeah, it makes it harder when you’ve already given up some stuff to make some moves and things like that.”

Jones would round out an offense that features tight end George Kittle plus young receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. He could also help the Pats restore some of the firepower they lost when Rob Gronkowski took his talents to Tampa. Meanwhile, A.J. Brown seems to think that he’d look good in Titans blue.

“Trust me, if you want to carry the load, you can carry it,” Brown said to Jones on Instagram (link). “But if you get tired, you know I can carry you.”

Kyle Shanahan Discusses 49ers’ Potential Interest In Julio Jones

May 25th, 2021 at 8:15pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have already pulled off one blockbuster trade this offseason, and they might not be done. When asked about the team’s potential interest in Falcons wideout Julio Jones, head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that the team’s acquisition of the No. 3 pick (and subsequent selection of Trey Lance) may have paved the way for another major deal.

“Well, you know I’m not legally allowed to talk about players on other teams,” Shanahan said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “So I can’t answer that exactly the way you want me to.

“Anyone I’ve coached in the past that I have a relationship with, especially a great dude like Julio, obviously I have a ton of respect for. We’re always interested in improving our team. We’ll never just say, ‘Hey, we’re done. We can’t improve our team.’ You always try to make that happen. But, yeah, it makes it harder when you’ve already given up some stuff to make some moves and things like that.”

As Shanahan noted, the coach served as the Falcons offensive coordinator between 2015 and 2016, a pair of seasons that saw Jones compile 3,280 total yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. Five years later, Jones finds himself on the trade block while Shanahan finds himself loading up for an eventual run at the championship.

We learned yesterday that Jones had already requested a trade, and this followed reports that the Falcons would consider dealing the future Hall of Famer as they looked to clear some money off the books. Plenty of teams would naturally have interest in the wideout, but only a handful of names have definitively trickled out over the past few days, including the Patriots and Titans.

While the 49ers won’t be able to satisfy the Falcons’ desire for a first-round pick, they have the cap space to make a deal happen. Plus, Jones would add some legitimacy to an offense that (outside of tight end George Kittle) is predicated on youth and upside. While former first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk and former second-round pick Deebo Samuel have the draft pedigree, the young duo combined for only 1,242 all-purpose yards last season (albeit in only 19 combined games).

Latest On Falcons, Julio Jones

May 25th, 2021 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

It might not have been intentional, but Julio Jones told the world that he’s basically done with the Falcons. Meanwhile, head coach Arthur Smith is keeping mum on the matter.

“[Players] should speak for themselves,” Smith said (Twitter link via Zach Klein of WSB). “I’m not going to comment, it doesn’t change anything for us. We understand what our plan is moving forward. We have multiple private conversations with our players and those are conversations that are going to stay private on my end.”

Apparently, those conversations have been going on for some time. Jones requested a trade a few months ago and the Falcons agreed to listen. Reportedly, they want a first-rounder for the multiple-time Pro Bowler, but they’ve had no takers so far. Jones has been one of the game’s most dominant wide receivers for years. But, at the age of 32, few teams want to cough up that kind of draft capital and pay out the remainder of his contract.

That’s not to say that the Falcons haven’t gotten some decent offers. Before the draft, the Falcons had the opportunity to trade Jones, and shed his contract, for a second-round pick (via PFT). Now, most of the potential suitors have addressed their needs, which means even longer odds of the Falcons securing the first-round pick they want.

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