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As of right now, Julio Jones is a member of the Atlanta Falcons. But rumors have swirled for months that the Falcons would be willing to trade Jones if the right deal came up. The Falcons are happy with Julio Jones' production, but his hefty contract makes the cap space extremely tight. With a new draft class yet to be signed, the Falcons don't have much wiggle room.
3 possible landing spots for Julio Jones
#1 San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was Jones' offensive coordinator for three seasons with the Falcons. Shanahan would most likely welcome a reunion with his former receiver, and the 49ers have enough cap space to make a deal happen. Their top receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel both missed extensive periods of time in 2020. Having a number one receiver like Jones would help beef up the 49ers' offense no matter who the quarterback ends up being.
#2 Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts traded for quarterback Carson Wentz this offseason and will need to make sure he has strong offensive weapons around him. The Colts were able to re-sign veteran T.Y. Hilton but need another top receiver in the passing game to make the offense competitive in the AFC. The Colts also have draft picks and over $21 million in cap space to make this trade a reality.
#3 New England Patriots
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots have spent a significant amount of money this offseason and still have room to spend more. The Patriots signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne to add offensive weapons, but adding a receiver of Julio Jones' caliber would be welcome as well.
With Cam Newton currently the starting quarterback and the newly drafted Mac Jones the quarterback for the future, having a top receiver would really give their offense a new identity. This is something the Patriots struggled to find in 2020 after the departure of Tom Brady.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Julio Jones as the sixth overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. At the time, he signed a four-year deal worth $16.2 million. He later signed an extension in 2015 for five years, worth $71.5 million, which is the contract he is currently playing on. In his career with the Falcons, Julio Jones has 848 receptions for 12, 896 receiving yards and sixty touchdowns, averaging 15.2 yards per carry.
