Why the Patriots Stayed Away from Jones

There are several logical reasons the New England Patriots didn't heavily pursue veteran wide receiver Julio Jones

After weeks of speculation, former Atlanta Falcons superstar wide receiver Julio Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 fourth-round pick. Despite the New England Patriots being cited as a destination of interest for Jones on multiple occasions, the Patriots ultimately did not show as much interest as anticipated.

The most likely reason for the team's lack of interest in the perennial All-Pro is a combination of Jones' albatross contract and age. Jones is slated to make $38 million over the next three years, with over $15 million due in the upcoming 2021 season. 

NBC Sports' Peter King cited this reason in his column after the trade, stating that "New England never had serious interest in committing $38 million to a 32-year-old receiver."

Additionally, 2022 draft picks are currently being highly valued since many scouting activities will be able to occur in person once again. It also would make sense that Bill Belichick would not want to part with an early-round draft pick who would be able to accompany Mac Jones into the next era of the team.

While the Patriots' lack of interest might have come as a surprise, Belichick seemed to reaffirm his faith in the current New England receiving corps heading into training camp: Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, N'Keal Harry, Kendrick Bourne, Gunner Olszewski, Marvin Hall, Isaiah Zuber, Tre Nixon, Devin Smith and Kristian Wilkerson. 

Though the receiving corps still might not feature a bona fide star, it's important to keep the team's offensive identity in mind. Despite a rocky 2020 campaign, New England showed promise running the ball.

As such, the 2021 Patriots figure to thrive on the ground behind an elite offensive line and running back in Damien Harris, with deep outside (Agholor, Harry) and shallow inside receiving (Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Bourne) options out of heavier sets. Therefore, while having Jones would be a luxury, that's all it would be.

The 2020 Patriots passing game had a difficult time acclimating in part due to limited summer practice. With a whole summer at their disposal to build chemistry, the 2021 version should have a better chance for success — even without Jones.