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.

[Kiimo]

I can't believe people are even giving a second of consideration about paying big money to Julio Jones who is 32 and just put up a whopping 700 yards and 3 touchdowns

[ThyKingdomCome15]

I'll hold out for Larry Fitz on the cheap instead.

[Kiimo]

Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15

I'll hold out for Larry Fitz on the cheap instead.

Why pay Larry when you can get Dez Bryant for pennies on the dollar. I hear he's in the best shape of his life.

[ForeverIowan]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

I can't believe people are even giving a second of consideration about paying big money to Julio Jones who is 32 and just put up a whopping 700 yards and 3 touchdowns

At age 30 Randy Moss put up 1500 yards on 98 receptions and 23 touchdowns. TWENTY THREE! The year prior he had 550 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Julio Jones is that type of talent. You are asking why fans are considering that type of talent to put next to Tyreek Hill and Travis freaking Kelce?

Jerry Rice had two of his best years at age 32 and 33.

Terrell Owens had two of his best years at age 33 and 34.

Cris Carter was still tearing it up at 32, 33 and 34.

The list goes on and on.

[Dante84]

Okay. I get it. Contract and his missed games last season are absolutely legitimate reasons to say “nah, I’m good.” But talking about him like he’s Gehrig Dieter is a little much.

Like, there’s a middle ground between not wanting to trade for him and thinking he is Jeffrey Epstein.

[Chief Northman]

Yeah, no.

Veach can open up the bank account for Orlando Brown Jr. Not brokedick Julio. The hidden stat is that he may have started a good number of games, but often didn’t finish a lot of them because he pulled up lame or was sore and took himself out. Hard pass.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

Julio Jones's entire career has been wasted by Atlanta

Certainly not defending the shitty Falcons but where’s the line on a career being wasted? He did play in a SB with them and had put up amazing numbers (when healthy of course).

Just curious as to people’s definition of a wasted career. Do you have to win a ring for your career not to be a waste? Perspectives interest me. Kinda like Nickhead’s thread where he proclaims Kirk Cousins a bust. I don’t think Cousins is great but bust seems a bit strong. Guess it all depends on individual perspective

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Certainly not defending the shitty Falcons but where’s the line on a career being wasted? He did play in a SB with them and had put up amazing numbers (when healthy of course).

Just curious as to people’s definition of a wasted career. Do you have to win a ring for your career not to be a waste? Perspectives interest me. Kinda like Nickhead’s thread where he proclaims Kirk Cousins a bust. I don’t think Cousins is great but bust seems a bit strong. Guess it all depends on individual perspective

If the Falcons "wasted" Julio Jones' career, then the Chiefs wasted Derrick Thomas, Will Shields, Tony Gonzalez and so many other great players careers.

And if you want to truly talk about "wasting" a career, look no further than Detroit, who couldn't win a playoff game with Barry Sanders or MegaTron.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ForeverIowan

At age 30 Randy Moss put up 1500 yards on 98 receptions and 23 touchdowns. TWENTY THREE! The year prior he had 550 yards and 3 touchdowns.

If Jones is as amazing as you say at this point in his career, n00b, why is Atlanta so eager to get his $40 million guaranteed off the books?

The Chiefs don't need Jones and I can't see any possibility of them giving up more draft picks and taking on $40 million guaranteed for a 32 year old WR who's on the downside of his career.

They had the best team in the NFL last year before losing Fisher in the AFC Championship game with a broke dick Sammy Watkins, an ineffective Demarcus Robinson and a rookie running back that was unable to score at the goal line.

There is absolutely no reason for them to make such an illogical move.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ForeverIowan

At age 30 Randy Moss put up 1500 yards on 98 receptions and 23 touchdowns. TWENTY THREE! The year prior he had 550 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Julio Jones is that type of talent. You are asking why fans are considering that type of talent to put next to Tyreek Hill and Travis freaking Kelce?

Jerry Rice had two of his best years at age 32 and 33.

Terrell Owens had two of his best years at age 33 and 34.

Cris Carter was still tearing it up at 32, 33 and 34.

The list goes on and on.

How many hamstring injuries did Randy Moss have? How about Jerry Rice or Terrell Owens? How many foot and toe surgeries did they have?

Because Jones has injured his hamstring in at least 6 different seasons and has missed games in separate seasons due to toe and or foot issues 4 times.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

If the Falcons "wasted" Julio Jones' career, then the Chiefs wasted Derrick Thomas, Will Shields, Tony Gonzalez and so many other great players careers.

And if you want to truly talk about "wasting" a career, look no further than Detroit, who couldn't win a playoff game with Barry Sanders or MegaTron.

I tend to agree. I think the Falcons and Jones have mostly done right for each other and they were a Kyle Shannahaning away from a title. If the bar is win a SB or bust, most players careers are a waste. The fact that the Lions couldn’t win a single playoff game over the careers of those two is baffling.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ForeverIowan

Id prefer to shove it up Antoine Winfields and old ass Tom Bradys ass in embarassing fashion next year if we see them in the SB. Maybe Julio is rejuvenated playing in this offense and not having to be THE GUY for his team and taking a pounding. Its a gamble I would take ten times out of ten.

He's not tired.

He's INJURED.

You do know that right?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

GB, SF, and dare I say it... BAL would be scary destinations. Did we just give BAL what they needed to get a deal for julio done?

So lemme get this straight...

We get a pro bowl LT that is 24-years old and has already started 42 games and they get a guy who missed on average 2 games a year and missed half of last season with a recurring hamstring injury that's plagued him his entire professional career.

Just what was Veach thinking?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

I tend to agree. I think the Falcons and Jones have mostly done right for each other and they were a Kyle Shannahaning away from a title. If the bar is win a SB or bust, most players careers are a waste. The fact that the Lions couldn’t win a single playoff game over the careers of those two is baffling.

For the record, I was being facetious.

The Falcons, for all of their faults, provided Jones with a very good QB, good receivers opposite him and Tony Gonzalez for a few years.

No player is guaranteed a ring. Jones has had a great career but there's no doubt that he's on the downside at age 32, which is completely and totally normal.

[BlackOp]

Chiefs need to be a bit more scrupulous with their picks...trading a 2nd rounder for a 32 year old WR probably isnt the best strategy.

I've heard AB might be on KC's radar...and he wouldn't cost draft capital. Watkins didnt cost them picks...

If he were released...go for it.