NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
When asked by Shannon Sharpe if he wants to stay in Atlanta, Julio Jones responded, “I’m out of there.” Jones requested a trade a few months ago, and recently the Falcons have been fielding calls. Julio also told Sharpe on Undisputed that he wanted to win. I have to imagine the Falcons would trade him to a team that is considered a Super Bowl contender.
Here are five potential landing spots for the two-time all-pro wide receiver.
New England Patriots
New England may continue their big spending. After adding Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne, the Patriots still need a #1 WR. Adding a receiver of Jones’ magnitude would complete their offense. Reports also show that Julio wants to play with Cam Newton.
The Patriots drafted Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick. Even though Julio wants to play with Cam, Belichick should focus on putting Mac Jones in the best situation. The addition of Julio would put Mac in arguably the best position a rookie quarterback could be in.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans lost Corey Davis this offseason, leaving a hole at the receiver position. If Tennessee is serious about being contenders, they need to pursue Julio Jones aggressively. AJ Brown has made a push to recruit Jones by messaging him on social media and making posts about him coming to Tennessee.
The Titans made it to the AFC Championship game in 2019 but were a first-round exit in 2020. Tannehill has proven he is a franchise quarterback, posting a grade of 90.2 and 90.6 the past two seasons from Pro Football Focus. If they are serious about becoming contenders again, trading for Jones will help immensely.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jones said he wants to join a contender, but the Falcons could take the best offer available. If the Jaguars make an irrefutable offer, Jones could be headed to Jacksonville. In reality, this is far from a bad landing spot for Julio. Trevor Lawrence having Jones, Chark, Shenault, Robinson, and Etienne could lead to a top 10 offense.
While Jones would probably want to end up somewhere else, Jacksonville is still a great landing spot for him. The Jags have plenty of cap space to take on Jones’ contract as well.
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar has yet to have a #1 receiver in his first three seasons in the NFL. I loved the Bateman pick in the draft and believe he can become a true #1. Nevertheless, adding Julio Jones would not hurt. Many have questioned Lamar’s ability to pass at a high level. The counter-argument is his lack of weapons to throw to. If Baltimore wants to know Lamar’s potential as a passer, they must surround him with a legitimate receiving core.
They signed Sammy Watkins in free agency, but he is far from a number one. Julio, Brown, Watkins, Bateman, and Andrews would be more than enough for any decent passer to succeed. If I were Baltimore, I would make a hard push for Jones.
Green Bay Packers
I would be surprised if the Packers made this move. However, they are desperate to help coax Rodgers back for the 2021 season. Giving him a weapon like Julio, paired with Davante Adams, would make for the best wide receiver duo in the league. The cap space is the biggest issue here. The front office would need to do some serious cap manipulation to make this move work.
I imagine this would be an approved destination for Jones if Rodgers commits to Green Bay. The Packers have been to two straight NFC Championship games. Adding Julio could be the piece that Rodgers and company need to make it to the Super Bowl in 2021.
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