SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 15: Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates after a play against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game at Levi’s Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The odds are stacked against the Chiefs swinging a trade for Julio Jones, but acquiring the superstar wide receiver would make their offense unstoppable.
The idea that the Falcons are willing to trade Julio Jones this offseason should put quite a few NFL front offices on high alert. If a trade war does develop for the All-Pro wide receiver, the Chiefs should be at the front of the line to acquire him.
The trade can’t realistically be completed until after June 1st for salary cap purposes, but the Falcons seem keen to move on from the $38 million and change owed to the veteran wideout over the next three seasons. Moving Jones would also serve to kick start what many believe is an overdue rebuild in Atlanta.
The fact that Jones is still owed so much guaranteed money does negatively impact what the Falcons might be able to get for him in a trade. Atlanta can’t expect to receive a king’s ransom in draft capital for Jones. Instead, they might need to settle for a package built around a single second round selection and some other miscellaneous draft picks.
That kind of discounted price means the Chiefs can put together a package capable of winning the race to acquire Jones. That thought should cause opposing defensive coordinators to wake up in a cold sweat. Adding Jones to the Kansas City offense would be the NFL equivalent of a cheat code.
Essentially, Jones could replace Sammy Watkins in the team’s starting lineup. Putting him on the outside with Tyreek Hill on the other would put opposing secondaries in an impossible situation on every snap. Throw in Travis Kelce running seam routes from the tight end position and there’ would be no realistic way for defenses to stop Kansas City’s star-studded offense.
That says nothing of how much Patrick Mahomes would enjoy working with a wideout with Jones’ combination of speed and size. The former Alabama standout could bail Mahomes out when he makes the occasional errant throw down the field. Jones’ ability to go down the field and make big catches over the top of quality defensive backs would add a new element to the Chiefs’ attack.
If Jones does hit the trade market then quite a few teams should jump into the mix for his services. Kansas City wouldn’t necessarily be the most likely team to acquire him, but the move wouldn’t be entirely out of the question. At the very least, it’s something for Chiefs fans to dream about over the next several weeks.