With reports the Atlanta Falcons are open to trading Julio Jones, these five teams should be on standby to make a deal for him.
As the Atlanta Falcons headed toward a reset at head coach and general manager, the idea they’d trade a big name of two surfaced easily. Quarterback Matt Ryan is staying put for at least one more year, but in his fresh Football Morning In America column Peter King suggested the Falcons may put together the framework for a trade involving wide receiver Julio Jones. Such a deal would become official on June 2.
Albert Breer of The MMQB added the Falcons are listening to trade offers for the five-time Pro Bowler. So there’s certainly something to the renewed idea the Falcons will trade Jones.
A deal becoming official on June 2 is important for a big reason. By waiting until after June 1 to trade Jones, they can clear $15.3 million in cap space and avoid big dead money hits for this year and 2022.
A hamstring injury limited Jones to nine games last season, but he put up good numbers when was on the field (51 receptions for 771 yards and three touchdowns). Durability concerns remains for the 32-year old, but he routinely play through injuries and he missed just four games from 2014-2019.
What the Falcons do with the fourth overall pick will go a long way toward driving a move to trade Jones. Staying put and taking someone like Kyle Pitts or Ja’Marr Chase would be telling about making Jones theoretically expendable, or even a move down that still yields a pass catcher would fuel a Jones trade.
Contending teams may soon be tripping over themselves to make an offer for Jones, in the name of a Super Bowl push. These five teams should be at the top of said list.
5 teams who should trade for Julio Jones with Super Bowl push in mind
5
Seattle Seahawks
NFC West
The Seahawks and Russell Wilson seem headed for a divorce, in 2022 barring something completely unexpected. Head coach Pete Carroll is firmly committed to not letting “Russ Cook”, as Wilson still lingers with a desire for the team to sign Antonio Brown.
The big issue for Seattle in making a trade for Jones is draft capital, with only three picks in this year’s draft and six picks in 2022 right now (no first-rounder). But they are always in the conversation as a fringe Super Bowl contender, and in what could be Wilson’s last season as a Seahawk they have to be all-in.