It’s been a long time since Falcons’ fan have had to worry about trade rumors of a star athlete from the team. Gone are Coach Dan Quinn and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff, in are new Head Coach, former Titans OC Arthur Smith and new General Manager, former Saints Exec Terry Fontenot.
These two gentlemen inherited a mess of a team when they arrived. The spending of Dimitroff just didn’t make sense. And as of right now the team doesn’t have enough money to even pay their draft class which includes star Tight End from Florida, the overall 4 pick in this year’s draft, Kyle Pitts.
The topic of discussion these days around Falcons’ headquarters in Flowery Branch is not about QB Matt Ryan, but about wide receiver Julio Jones. Ryan restructured his contract and will be a Falcon at least for the next two years. But trending left and right is Jones trade rumors. Rumors from draft day trades to trades to the Ravens, reunite with Kyle Shanahan in San Fran, to the latest trade to the Tennessee Titans. Jones has been spotted working out with Titans star RB Derrick Henry. Henry came out asking the Titans’ to trade for Jones. Falcons are about $500,000 over the 185 million salary cap for the 2021 season for overall pay.
Logic says trading Jones is the right thing to do. For the past two seasons the star wide out has played a combined 9 games due to missed games because of injury. The 32-year old Jones last season caught 51 passes for 771 yards and only three touchdowns.
In a picture that trended around the sports world had Jones wearing a Dallas Cowboys shirt taking a photo with a fan. First, that’s photoshopped, and second, he is still under contact with Atlanta. A picture of him with another employers logo is not happening.
BREAKING NEWS: This just happened today, but I still wanted to keep the story that I began over the weekend. Former All-Pro Shannon Sharpe called Jones live on his FS1 Undisputed show, and Jones tells Sharpe “I’m out of there.” Listen for yourself.
After this call, look for this trade to be imminent. Not sure Jones knew he was live on the TV show, but who knows. But I do know this, Jones’s bags are packed and he’s just waiting for the call from Fontenot on which city he’s traveling too.
Jones has always been a professional no matter what the situation was with the Falcons. I’m not sure where this went sour. He shouldn’t be upset about the coach and GM change, because Jones stated he wants to win, and that wasn’t happening with Quinn and Dimitroff.
The team I would like to see Jones be traded to is the New England Patriots. Jones will then miss Matt Ryan and what he had with the MVP in Atlanta.
Header Photo Courtesy of The Pewter Plank
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