Earlier today, FS1 host Shannon Sharpe called up Julio Jones and asked him about his status in Atlanta. The Falcons wide receiver, who might not have known that he was on air, told Sharpe that he’s “out of there” (Twitter link).
Sharpe also asked Jones if he would be interested in going to Dallas, since he was recently spotted in Cowboys gear. To that, Jones said, “I ain’t going to Dallas, I never thought of going to Dallas.” Then, sometime after that, Sharpe informed Jones that he was live on national television.
Jones requested a trade a few months ago, sources confirmed to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The Falcons subsequently agreed to listen to offers. As it stands, the asking price is a first-round pick (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). So far, they haven’t gotten an offer to their liking and execs around the NFL league doubt they’ll get it, Schefter hears.
Jones’ contract has three years to go. This year, he’ll earn a guaranteed $15.3MM. 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. Even though Jones is a perennial All-Pro, that’s a lot of coin for a 32-year-old coming off of a partial season.
The Falcons could net more in the way of draft compensation by eating a portion of Jones’ deal. Still, even if they eat the lion’s share, they might not be able to get a Round 1 pick for the veteran. Meanwhile, they’ve got a numbers crunch of their own to deal with, so they can’t necessarily afford to pay out the bulk of the contract.
With more smoke surfacing on the Julio Jones front, another potential suitor has emerged. The Patriots have held internal discussions on Jones, according to NFL.com’s Mike Giardi (on Twitter).
This certainly does not mean a deal is close, but the Patriots have operated aggressively at the skill positions this offseason. Four new weapons — Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne — are in Foxborough, with the group set to aid Cam Newton and/or Mac Jonesin 2021. One of this era’s most accomplished players, Jones would stand to help as well.
Despite the Pats’ uncharacteristic March spending, they still have north of $15MM in cap space. Although they still need to sign some draft picks — Jones among them — that cap-space figure ranks in the top 10. The Falcons, who hold less than $500K as of Saturday, rank 30th here. They have identified a Jones trade as a way to remedy this issue, even though dealing the 32-year-old All-Pro would would an offense that just added Kyle Pittsfourth overall.
Bill Belichick sent the Falcons a second-round pick for longtime Jones teammate Mohamed Sanu in 2019, but that move backfired. While this is a new Falcons front office, Belichick dealt with GM Terry Fontenot‘s former team in a high-end receiver swap in 2017. Fontenot was with the Saints when they sent Brandin Cooks to the Patriots for a first-round pick four years ago. The new Atlanta GM said last month the team must listen to offers for Jones. Belichick has used the trade market extensively to land impact wideouts, with the 2007 offseason including deals for Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The Pats also traded for Chad Johnson in 2011 and Josh Gordon in 2018.
New England’s passing game sputtered last season — and neither Agholor nor Bourne profiles as a No. 1-caliber wide receiver. Jones missed seven games in 2020, due to a hamstring malady, but only missed four over the previous six years combined. His 9,388 receiving yards from 2014-19 not only led the NFL by more than 1,000; that total is the most ever in a six-season span. Jones’ 95.5 yards per game over the course of his career ranks No. 1 in NFL history.
The Titans are also believed to be on the radar for a Jones trade, and other teams should be expected to explore what it would take to acquire the 10-year veteran. Though, the Falcons are not expected to receive a first-round pick for their future Hall of Fame wideout. A Jones trade would need to take place after June 1, when such a move becomes less financially punishing for the Falcons. Jones’ $22MM-per-year contract includes a $15.3MM 2021 base salary; Jones is due $11.5MM in 2022 and ’23.
Julio Jones remains on the trade block. We learned earlier today that the star receiver is still available, and the Falcons would like to trade the future Hall of Famer.
While Jones missed a handful of games in 2020, these trade rumors aren’t based on his production…there are few wideouts in the NFL who can compare to Jones’ consistent receiving numbers. Rather, the Falcons are shopping the veteran for financial reasons. The front office is currently sitting with around only $500K in cap space, and they still need to sign their draft class. With Jones earning an AAV around $22MM on his last extension, he’s always seemed like the likeliest cap casualty. GM TerryFontenot even acknowledged that the team has to consider trading the seven-timer Pro Bowler.
“We are in a difficult cap situation,” Fontenot said. “That’s just the circumstance…Our administration has done an excellent job up to this point getting us in position to be able to manage the cap. Yet, we still have more work to do.
“So, when teams call about any players, we have to listen, and we have to weigh it and we have to determine what’s best for the organization, and we have to handle everything with class. Obviously, that particular player [Jones] — we hold him in high regard. He’s special…but we have to consider [listening on] any player if it’s right for the team, because we have to do what’s right for the team.”
There are some hurdles with a trade, particularly Jones $15.3MM salary for 2021. At this point of the offseason, it’s going to be tough for teams to find the cap room to afford the receiver…and, similar to the Falcons, few teams will want to renegotiate with Jones and pile money onto the later seasons of his contract. As a result, the Falcons reportedly aren’t seeking a first-round pick for the 32-year-old.
So, considering Jones’ talent and the Falcons asking price, a long list of teams have been mentioned as potential suitors for the receiver. So, that leads us to today’s question: who will Jones be playing for come Week 1 of the 2021 season? We provided a handful of candidates below.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Jones ever since the wideout hit the block, and the connection makes plenty of sense. The team hasn’t really filled the hole on their depth chart left by Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets. If the Titans want to continue their postseason momentum, pairing A.J. Brown with Jones would make for one of the best receiver tandems in the league. Plus, new Falcons head coach ArthurSmith had spent the previous decade in Tennessee, so he’d certainly have some good words about the organization if Jones tries to control his own fate.
For what it’s worth, running back Derrick Henry made it abundantly clear on Twitter today that he’d welcome the future Hall-of-Fame receiver to Tennessee.
The downside? The Titans don’t have a whole lot of cap space, so it’d be tough to fit Jones’ massive contract on their books.
Las Vegas Raiders
Jon Gruden has been hunting for a big-name wide receiver since he joined the Raiders organization. He played a role in the infamous acquisition of Antonio Brown, and they used their 2020 first-round pick on Henry Ruggs III. In other words, the head coach would undoubtedly be a supporter of a Jones acquisition. Besides Gruden’s apparent attraction to top wideouts, the team also kind of needs help at the position; their top-three options are currently Ruggs, John Brown, and Hunter Renfrow.
The Raiders still have around $10MM in cap space, so while they’d have to overcome a few financial hurdles to acquire Jones, it certainly wouldn’t be impossible.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have made headlines for revamping their offense this offseason. The team added the two top free agent tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, they acquired Trent Brown to solidify the offensive line, and they drafted Mac Jones to compete with Cam Newton at quarterback. However, the team’s wide receivers are still a bit underwhelming. The team dished out some money on Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, but neither of those players really profile as top-end receivers.
BillBelichick has seemingly had a love-hate relationship with receiver acquisitions over the years, as he often provided Tom Brady with too many receivers or not enough receivers. The Patriots currently have a clear need for a receiver, and Jones would certainly help their quest to return to the postseason. Plus, the Patriots are currently sitting with $15MM in cap space, which would be almost enough to acquire Jones without any funny cap machinations.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are clearly all-in on this current iteration of this team, as they’ve sacrificed their first-round picks through 2023 in order to snag Trey Lance with the third-overall pick. With that in mind, giving up a handful of non-firsts for a star receiver doesn’t seem like a huge risk when the cupboard is already a bit empty.
Plus, while it remains unseen if Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center for Week 1, the 49ers could use a player of Jones’ caliber. The team hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Anquan Boldin in 2014, and Jones would provide the starting quarterback with another Pro Bowl talent alongside tight end George Kittle.
The 49ers have more than $17MM in cap space, and they could carve out even more space if they decide to move on from Jimmy G. If any suitor has the financial flexibility to add Jones, it’s San Francisco.
Atlanta Falcons
Financial ramifications aside, keeping Jones in Atlanta also makes plenty of sense. The wideout has established himself as one of the top players in franchise history, he’s been incredibly productive throughout his career, and he’s only played in fewer than 10 games twice (of course, one of those seasons came in 2020). Plus, if the Falcons have any hope of returning to the Super Bowl with Matt Ryan as their starting quarterback, a loaded offense would certainly help. Jones would just be one of the many talented targets in Atlanta, along with former first-round receiver Calvin Ridley and the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, tight end Kyle Pitts.
We could have listed at least a handful of other teams on this list: the Chargers, Ravens, Colts, and Packers have also been listed as potential suitors (by both pundits and bookies). But for the sake of a tidy poll, we’ll group each of those teams into the “other category.”
So, with all that said, who do you think Julio Jones will be playing with to begin the 2021 campaign? Vote in the accompanying poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Despite theKyle Pittsselection giving the Falcons the chance to pair him with Julio Jones and emerging standout Calvin Ridley, the team’s cap situation may be at a point where this trio will never take the field together. The Jones trade buzz is not going away.
Jones remains available, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz, who notes the Falcons would like to trade the future Hall of Fame wideout (subscription required). Although the 32-year-old wideout made the Pro Bowl each season from 2014-19 and missed four total games during that span, he is signed to a receiver-record contract and missed seven games in 2020. New GM Terry Fontenot confirmed the Falcons are listening to offers on their all-time great.
The Falcons have made a number of restructures this offseason — from Deion Jones to Jake Matthews to Matt Ryan, with Schultz adding the team did not want to restructure its quarterback’s deal — but still have less than $500K in cap space. Atlanta obviously needs to sign its draft class, and although losing Jones for that purpose would mark a sobering conclusion to his Falcons run, the team views only he and Grady Jarrett as candidates to fix its cap problem, Schultz adds. The Falcons, however, want to keep Jarrett long-term; 10 years may be it for Jones in Atlanta.
The Thomas Dimitroff regime gave Jones his $22MM-per-year extension during the same summer Jarrett received his payday. Jarrett has two seasons left on his deal; Jones has three. A Jones restructure is not out of the question, but that would mean the Falcons moving a lot of money into Jones’ age-33 season and beyond. Atlanta, per Schultz, does not want to go this route, one that would involve considerably more dead money down the line. It is a non-starter for the Falcons to move Jones before June 1, but were they to trade him after that date, they would create more than $15MM in cap space.
Numerous teams could use Jones, but most would need to carve out cap space to absorb his $15.3MM salary. Some expect teams to ask the Falcons to eat a portion of Jones’ salary to help facilitate a trade, per Schultz, who also notes the Titans have come up as a potential suitor. Tennessee has a noticeable hole at receiver opposite A.J. Brown, with Corey Davis heading to New York, but the team has barely $3MM in cap space before its top draft salaries are accounted for. A first-round pick is not expected in a Jones deal, though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not expect Fontenot to move Jones unless a strong offer emerges (video link via the Pat McAfee Show).
Losing Jones would certainly affect the Falcons, who can count the seven-time Pro Bowler as a top-three player (comfortably) in franchise history. From 2014-19, Jones amassed 9,388 receiving yards — the most in a six-season span in NFL annals. But the Falcons’ new regime does not appear to view 2021 as a season in which Super Bowl contention is realistic, Schultz notes. Atlanta hopes to benefit from a bidding war involving teams that do.
“That’s one of those things when you’re doing things the right way as an organization, you have to listen if people call on any player,” Fontenot told Justin Felder of FOX 5 (Twitter link). “We are in a difficult cap situation. That’s just the circumstance…Our administration has done an excellent job up to this point getting us in position to be able to manage the cap. Yet, we still have more work to do.”
“So, when teams call about any players, we have to listen, and we have to weigh it and we have to determine what’s best for the organization, and we have to handle everything with class. Obviously, that particular player [Jones] — we hold him in high regard. He’s special…but we have to consider [listening on] any player if it’s right for the team, because we have to do what’s right for the team.”
Jones, 32, is still a difference maker when he’s healthy and on the field, though he missed roughly half of the 2020 season due to hamstring issues. Now, the Falcons have an opportunity to give themselves some breathing room on the cap by trading Jones sometime after June 1. It’s not clear which teams have called on Jones, though Peter King of NBC Sports speculated that the Patriots, Titans, Ravens, and Raiders could be among the suitors.
The Falcons have received trade inquiries for wide receiver Julio Jones (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Falcons have indicated that Jones will be staying put, but teams believe that Atlanta’s cap situation could nudge them towards a deal. Peter King of NBC Sports and Albert Breer of The MMQB have heard similar buzz, noting that they wouldn’t be shocked if the All-Pro is traded.
For cap reasons, any Jones trade would have to wait until after June 1, when his dead money charge could be split between 2021 and 2022. So far, the Falcons have rebuffed inquiries on their more notable veterans, including quarterback Matt Ryan, linebacker Deion Jones, and left tackle Jake Matthews. Still, Breer believes that a first-round pick could be enough to sway the Falcons. King, meanwhile, thinks that a second-round pick sounds about right.
Jones, 32, remains an effective weapon when healthy. And, even though he missed seven games last year, his remaining salaries between now and 2023 are fairly reasonable with the Falcons eating a chunk of the dollars. Any team acquiring Jones would be on the hook for payouts of $15.3MM, $11.513MM, and $11.513MM in each season.
“We expect Julio to be a Falcon, to be playing next year at a very high level as well,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said recently. “God-willing, taking care of his body, his hamstring will be healed up. He’ll be able to play in more games than he played last year..”
Still, if new GM Terry Fontenot gets the right offer, Jones could wind up elsewhere in June.
Earlier this week, we heard the Falcons are not taking calls onMatt Ryan and that they expect his top weapon to remain in the fold as well. Falcons owner Arthur Blank confirmed that Ryan and Julio Jones will be part of Arthur Smith‘s first Falcons roster.
“Well, I’d be shocked, completely shocked if he was not, and it really has nothing to do necessarily with his contract,” Blank said of the prospect Ryan would not be a Falcon in 2021, via Andrew Siciliano of NFL.com. “… He’s performed beautifully, was MVP of the league one year. So Matt can still play at a very high level and we expect him to be a Falcon next year, fully.
“We expect Julio to be a Falcon, to be playing next year at a very high level as well. God-willing, taking care of his body, his hamstring will be healed up. He’ll be able to play in more games than he played last year. So they’ll both be with us.”
The QB trade market recently produced a blockbuster, with Matthew Staffordgoing to the Rams in exchange for Jared Goff and three draft picks. Ryan resides in a similar position to Stafford. He has been with his team for over a decade (13 years) but has seen it decline to point it holds a high draft pick. Like the Lions, the Falcons also hired a new head coach and GM. However, Ryan both signed for more money on his most recent extension — in 2018 — and restructured his deal to further pile up money on Atlanta’s cap going forward. A Ryan trade would cost the Falcons more than $40MM. Three seasons remain on Jones’ $22MM-per-year deal.
Blank, however, acknowledged the prospect of a succession plan. The Falcons hold the No. 4 overall pick — their highest draft slot since they used 2008’s No. 3 overall choice to select Ryan — and will see their longtime starter turn 36 this year. The owner referencing the Chiefs’ successful (but rarely utilized) QB developmental model perhaps points to the Falcons being in the market for a passer at No. 4.
“In any business, including professional football or any sports business, you do have to prepare for succession planning, and that’s what separates a lot of great organizations that are great over a longer period of time because they think through, how do they continue to stay at the level they’re at,” Blank said.
“A good example is what Kansas City has done when they drafted Patrick Mahomes, who came out of a very high-scoring offense in college but needed to go through a professional transition. He played behind Alex Smith for a year, a great competitor, a great quarterback, a great mentor, and he learned a lot, so he’s producing now at a much higher level and he’s had a healthy transition. So I think you have to think about long-term while you think about winning today. That’s what good coaches and what good general managers do.”
With Matthew Stafford off the market, teams interested in acquiring other accomplished quarterbacks may not need to look toward Atlanta. Last weekend’s Lions-Rams blockbuster shows nothing can be completely ruled out, but the Falcons are not looking to part ways with either of their two cornerstone players this year.
The Falcons have not engaged in any trade talks regarding Matt Ryan or Julio Jones, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (video link). Both Falcon stars are expected to be part of Arthur Smith‘s first Atlanta squad.
Ryan stands in an interesting situation. He will be set to play for a third head coach, but Smith will be the first offense-geared leader to lead the Falcons in Ryan’s tenure. The Falcons also hold the highest draft choice they have possessed since drafting Ryan in 2008, presenting a prime opportunity to acquire the 35-year-old passer’s successor. Regardless of how Atlanta proceeds with the No. 4 overall pick, Ryan’s lucrative contract is expected to remain on the franchise’s 2021 payroll.
Despite Jones’ 10th NFL season halting his historic run of production, thanks to hamstring trouble that kept him out for much of the 2020 slate, the future Hall of Famer would obviously generate trade interest. But the Falcons gave him a market-topping extension in 2019. His 2021 base salary ($15.3MM) is fully guaranteed. The Falcons would be tagged with a greater dead-money sum — in excess of $40MM — if they were to move Ryan. Another Ryan restructure could be on tap; the 13-year veteran’s 2021 cap figure sits at $40.9MM.
With a salary cap drop expected in March, the Falcons are already projected to be well over the estimated ceiling. GM Terry Fontenot‘s new team is not in the kind of cap hell the Saints are, but the Falcons are one of five other teams — as of Groundhog Day — who project to be over the cap by more than $30MM. While the cap may not drop to the agreed-upon $175MM floor, the Falcons will certainly help themselves by not trading Ryan and Jones this year.
November 29th, 2020 at 11:13am CST by Zachary Links
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.
After dealing Markus Goldento the Cardinals, it appears the 1-6 Giants have officially declared themselves sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Though GM Dave Gettleman may be reluctant to trade away veteran talent that could theoretically help Big Blue win a few games — and perhaps save Gettleman’s job in the process — players like Evan Engram, Kevin Zeitler, and Golden Tate could be available, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes (though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the club is unlikely to deal Engram).
2017 second-round DT Dalvin Tomlinson could also be on the move, per Dunleavy. Tomlinson is playing out the last year of his rookie contract, and while he has expressed interest in staying with the Giants long-term, there has been little progress in contract talks.
As we creep closer to the November 3 deadline, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league:
Big names like Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones are not going to be moved, as Rapoport writes in the same piece linked above. The same can be said for Jets QB Sam Darnold(though Darnold could be dealt this offseason). Gang Green may be more open to trading DT Quinnen Williams, but thus far interested teams have only offered a single second-round pick. That will not be enough to convince GM Joe Douglas to trade the talented interior defender.
Another 1-5 outfit, the Texans, also anticipate making a trade or two, per La Canfora. Houston is in desperate need of draft capital, and receivers Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller are coming up in discussions. Sources expect at least one of those players to be moved, and the team is also gauging the market for edge defender Whitney Mercilus.
One team that could have an eye on the Texans’ receivers is the Patriots, who are once again looking for a pass catcher, as La Canfora writes. One year after the team’s ill-fated trade for Mohamed Sanu, New England wants to get a weapon for QB Cam Newton, and Cooks, Fuller, and Thielen could all be options.
Washington QB Dwayne Haskinsmight be on the trade market, but the club hasn’t received much interest. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Haskins could be had for anything more than a sixth-round pick, but Washington hasn’t even gotten an offer that good yet. Although pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan has been the most-discussed Washington trade chip outside of Haskins, Rapoport says Ryan Anderson is more likely to be traded.
