'Playing Pretend': Should WR Julio Jones Be on Cowboys NFL Free Agency List?

Julio Jones, the seven-time Pro Bowler is 33. He has played in only 19 games over the past two seasons.

FRISCO - Let's not play "pretend'' here: There is no indication from the Dallas Cowboys that they intend to be bidders on a free agent of the caliber of seven-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones. Indeed, COO Stephen Jones has essentially come right out and said so, touting the existing receivers room - plus a likely high NFL Draft selection - as being good enough.

"I know Amari was a great player for us,'' Jones said of the traded-away Cooper, "but this might allow CeeDee (Lamb) and Michael (Gallup) to step up and play an even bigger role. And who knows what their upside may be?”

As we've said in this space before: Well, the Cowboys damn-well better know what their upside may be.''

But we digress.

The Athletic’s Jon Machota knows the game of "pretend'' as well as we do, and in the right spirit listed Julio as one of the top remaining free agents that could, in theory, be on Dallas' radar.

Machota writes: "The seven-time Pro Bowler is 33. He has played in only 19 games over the past two seasons. If there is any gas left in the tank, perhaps Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn might suggest Jones is worth adding to the mix at the right price.''

Machota is right in noting the authority inside The Star of Quinn, who was Atlanta’s head coach during Jones’ best NFL seasons, which included five straight years of 1,300 receiving yards. Machota is also right to point out the downside of Julio, meaning his age, his injuries and his slipping productivity.

The Tennessee Titans took a big swing at Jones in last offseason's trade, as Julio totaled just 31 receptions for 434 yards and one touchdown in 10 starts. Another swing? Julio's next team would surely prefer it be a "little swing.'' And while we know Dallas has touched base with another fading star in the Colts' T.Y. Hilton, we don't see much of a connection here - unless the NFL Draft goes in an odd direction in which another wideout isn't added to the Lamb-and-Gallup-led room.

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