Former Alabama star wide receiver Julio Jones is about to enter season No. 11 in the NFL, all spent with the team that drafted him, the Atlanta Falcons.
It seems like most NFL news sources are flooded with reports, rumors and speculation surrounding Jones’ status with the Falcons and what kind of trade offers the franchise would field.
With a lot of information floating around all at once, here’s what’s important about the whole situation:
First of all, Jones wants out. He made that clear on a phone call with Shannon Sharpe live on his show with Skip Bayless, Undisputed. Whether that bit was staged, or not, what he said was heard loud and clear by NFL front offices, reporters and fans: Julio is done with Atlanta.
While Jones has made his stance evident, the feeling is likely mutual, according to reports that claim the team would like to trade off Jones due to issues with the salary cap stemming from his extremely large contract.
The wide receiver will have a cap hit of $23,050,000 in 2021 for the Falcons, and a guaranteed salary of $15,300,000.
So if the Falcons are fielding offers, which teams might have already reached out?
Some organizations that have already been named as potential landing spots for one of the best offensive players in the league: Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and plenty others.
Most of the aforementioned teams are named purely due to speculation across the league via anonymous front office workers acting as ‘sources.’ However, some of the teams listed have reportedly made phone calls, such as the Seahawks and Titans.
The Falcons are supposedly seeking a first-round pick and a little extra; however, some believe that they will take what they can get given the team’s financial circumstances and Jones’ unwillingness to be a part of the organization.
There has been no official word from any franchise regarding a legitimate offer sent in, but there is strong speculation that big-name players from around the league and high draft picks are up for grabs.
No matter where Jones lands, it will surely be a pretty large deal consisting of some stars, or future stars by way of draft picks.
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