Falcons taking calls on Julio Jones

[Dante84]

A hamstring injury limited Jones to just nine games last season, though he still put up strong numbers when he was on the field. He caught 51 passes for 771 yards and three scores as the Falcons finished the year 4-12. From 2014-19, Jones missed only four games and averaged 104 catches and 1,564 yards per season. SI Link.

The #Falcons have received calls from teams inquiring about possible trades for All-Pro WR Julio Jones, sources say. A trade could not happen for cap reasons before June 1, but teams know Atlanta’s brutal cap situation and are calling. A deal won’t happen now, but later? Maybe.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2021

From NFL Now: The #Falcons have been receiving calls on All-Pro WR Julio Jones, and while it's somewhat unlikely they get the value they would want, it's not impossible. A look at how it would work... pic.twitter.com/kZArO6t578

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2021

The #Falcons have been listening to trade offers for star WR Julio Jones, per @peter_king and @AlbertBreer. Atlanta has one of the worst cap situations in the league and trading Julio effective after June 1st would create $15M in cap space and save the big dead cap hit for 2022.

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) April 26, 2021

From Peter King:

Surprises? Keep an eye on Atlanta. I can’t predict any bombshells. But a few things would not surprise me. Most notably, the Falcons putting the framework of a trade together for star wideout Julio Jones, and making the trade effective June 2. That way, Atlanta could split Jones’ cap charge between 2021 and 2022 instead of getting bashed with it all this year. So if such a trade happens, I expect it could involve a future pick or picks, nothing this year. (A future second-round pick as compensation seems fair to me.) Because such a trade wouldn’t be official till June, no picks in this draft could be involved. As for the interested team or teams, I would guess Las Vegas; Jon Gruden couldn’t resist Antonio Brown, and I doubt he could resist Julio Jones. New England too, and a couple of teams with clear receiver needs—Tennessee and Baltimore.

Now, the Falcons don’t really want to trade Julio Jones. He’s a franchise legend. But he’s 32, entering his 11th season, coming off a banged-up year with seven games missed due to injury, and the Falcons are in cap jail. If they could off-load his money and cushion it by splitting it between this year ($7.75 million) and next ($15.5 million), Atlanta’s cap charge on Jones this year goes down by a tad more than $15 million.

One final note here, to be very clear: I am not reporting the Falcons will trade Jones, or will probably trade Jones. I am saying it would not surprise me if it happened.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by O.city

If they cut him and you could sign him to a nice contract, sure. Go for it.

The Falcons aren't cutting Jones and taking a $40 million dollar cap hit.

[ChiefAshhole1056]

Considering that there is a mega WR contract coming to Reek next year, it doesn’t make sense for Veach to saddle another hefty salary within the position. It makes sense why Veach waited until the draft to address the WR position. From a financial standpoint it doesn’t make sense to give the de facto 3rd receiving option at best a big cap hit.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ChiefAshhole1056

Considering that there is a mega WR contract coming to Reek next year, it doesn’t make sense for Veach to saddle another hefty salary within the position. It makes sense why Veach waited until the draft to address the WR position. From a financial standpoint it doesn’t make sense to give the de facto 3rd receiving option at best a big cap hit.

That's probably the biggest reason Demarcus Robinson is still here and Watkins isn't.

[BossChief]

Julio Jones would make for a really fun offense when he’s healthy. Probably the best set of weapons in history...even the 15m cap hit doesn’t scare me.

The fear of him being injured at the most inopportune time that would scare me.

A healthy JJ added to this offense and still having all of our draft picks for Friday and Saturday would definitely be something to think about, but I’m not sure I’d pull the trigger.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's probably the biggest reason Demarcus Robinson is still here and Watkins isn't.

That and probably Veach getting tired of Watkins barely ever being available.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's probably the biggest reason Demarcus Robinson is still here and Watkins isn't.

That and probably Veach getting tired of Watkins barely ever being available.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Julio Jones would make for a really fun offense when he’s healthy. Probably the best set of weapons in history...even the 15m cap hit doesn’t scare me.

The fear of him being injured at the most inopportune time that would scare me.

A healthy JJ added to this offense and still having all of our draft picks for Friday and Saturday would definitely be something to think about, but I’m not sure I’d pull the trigger.

No way for us to get him without giving up picks, especially with what Dane stated about ATL incurring a $40M cap hit for cutting him.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The Falcons aren't cutting Jones and taking a $40 million dollar cap hit.

I agree, was just saying thats the circumstance where you sign these type of guys.

Not trading and paying.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by tredadda

That and probably Veach getting tired of Watkins barely ever being available.

Yeah, that's the thing about guys that are role players or being looked at to play limited snaps in specific sub packages - there are certain situations where you need them and if they're not available, those sub packages become harder and harder to deploy.

For a #3 or #4 WR, they're biggest attribute beyond just being adequate at their job is being ready to go into the game when they are called upon.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by O.city

What ended up happening to all those players?

Hint: they got hurt.

Marcus Allen only missed 3 games during his 5 years with the years.

[Halfcan]

Julio Jones
Wide Receiver
Julio Jones Contract Details and Salary
ContractHistoryStatisticsValuation
Age: 32Free Agency: 2024 (UFA)Accrued Seasons: 10
Height: 6-3Weight: 220College: AlabamaEntry: 2011 Draft, Round 1, #6 overall (Falcons)
2021 Salary Cap Charge: $23,050,000 (12.51% of cap)
2021 Cash Payout: $15,300,000 (11.22% of spending)
2021 Cash to Cap Ratio: 0.66
Contract Value: $66,000,000 ($22,000,000 APY)
Fully Guaranteed Money: $64,000,000
Contract Ranking: 2/298 at WR
2020 OTC Valuation: $5,205,000
Current Contract(Extension, signed 2019) (📝: indicates contract trigger occuring during that year)
Year Age Base Salary Prorated Bonus Guaranteed Salary Cap
Number Cap %
Dead Money & Cap Savings

Cut (pre-June 1)
2019 30 $1,500,000 $8,866,666 $1,500,000 $10,366,666 5.5%
2020 31 $11,200,000 $9,216,668 $11,200,000 $20,416,668 10.1%
2021 📝 32 $15,300,000 $7,750,000 $15,300,000 $23,050,000 12.5%
$40,550,000
($17,500,000)
2022 33 $11,513,000 $7,750,000 $2,000,000 $19,263,000 9.5%
$17,500,000
$1,763,000
2023 34 $11,513,000 $7,750,000 $0 $19,263,000 8.6%
$7,750,000
$11,513,000
Total $51,026,000 $41,333,334 $30,000,000 $92,359,334
Contract Notes
Receiver Julio Jones signed a three year, $66 million contract extension with the Falcons on September 7, 2019. Jones received $64 million guaranteed at signing. Jones guarantee includes a $25 million signing bonus, $11 million roster bonus, and his base salaries from 2019 through 2021. Jones' had been scheduled to earn $21.026 million in the remaining two years of his prior contract making the new guarantee worth $43 million. Jones' 2019 cap hit decreased by $3.1 million as a result of the extension while his 2020 cap hit increased by about $4.5 million.

Cash Flows
- fully earned money
- unearned or partially earned money
$22M
$44M
$66M
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Cash Due $16,900,000 $10,774,000 $15,300,000 $11,513,000 $11,513,000
Running Cash $16,900,000 $27,674,000 $42,974,000 $54,487,000 $66,000,000

[KChiefs1]

If Veach wants him...Burt will get him.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Wait until they cut him.

Then if you want to bring him in do it.

I'm sure as hell not trading them Hardman. I know he has not lived up to the CP expectations, but I'm not ready to give up on the kid, and he has two more years on that rookie contract.

A sack of White Castle sliders can get you Hardman.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Veach has already figured out a way to get him for zero salary and no cap hit.

Now he's just gotta talk Gracie into it.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

Veach has already figured out a way to get him for zero salary and no cap hit.

Now he's just gotta talk Gracie into it.

I want this trade to happen just to see the NFL and all the haters lose their shit over it- well that and giving Mahomes the 2 Best receivers and the best TE to throw to. Unstoppable!

[threebag]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

I want this trade to happen just to see the NFL and all the haters lose their shit over it- well that and giving Mahomes the 2 Best receivers and the best TE to throw to. Unstoppable!

Chargers would still be the consensus preseason Super Bowl pick