Could Julio Jones Land in the AFC North?
It's rare to see one of the NFL's most dominant positional players up for grabs. Yet after a decade of playing in Atlanta, Falcons receiver Julio Jones has made it abundantly clear he's seeking new threads to play in this upcoming season.
Where Jones will land remains the ultimate mystery. While a handful of key factors for a trade, such as what price the Falcons are willing to drop down to and any favored landing destinations for Jones, we do know the following:
- Jones initiated the trade request prior to the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Falcons obliged. Atlanta fielded a "flurry" of calls before the draft, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
- The Falcons were asking for a first-round picks from inquiring teams in exchange for Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Sources have told Schefter they ultimately believe Atlanta will NOT get a first round pick for their All-Pro wide receiver.
- Schefter also tweeted that the Falcons prefer to deal Jones to a team in the AFC, yet the team will continue searching for "the best value in either conference."
- Shannon Sharpe, on FOX's Undisputed, called Jones live on the show on Monday, where Jones said he's "out of there" and denied wanting to play for the Dallas Cowboys.
With the recent developments in the Julio Jones saga, the tide has certainly turned in favor of Jones landing elsewhere for the 2021 season. With the Falcons wanting to deal Jones outside of the NFC, the question arises: Could we see one of the most dominant receivers in recent memory land in the AFC North?
There are essentially two teams we can leave out of the conversation immediately: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers are extremely confident in their own stable of receivers, while the Bengals share similar feelings after taking Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
That leads us to two potential winners to the Julio Jones sweepstakes:
The Baltimore Ravens (+700 odds via DraftKings)
The Ravens are in desperate need to solidify their receiving corps with a legitimate number one receiver, as Marquise Brown and newly drafted Rashod Bateman are still unproven in that regard. A player such as Jones would immediately upgrade their receiver's depth chart and the overall complexion of the offense despite the Ravens still favoring the rushing attack. Baltimore has consistently been nominated as heavy favorites since news first broke of Atlanta and Jones wanting to work a way out.
The Cleveland Browns (+2000)
The Browns, although more unlikely than the Ravens, still find themselves in trade rumors surrounding Jones despite already having receivers such as Jarvis Landry and Odell Backham Jr. Could Cleveland make another splash trade for a premium wideout and send their offense over the edge as one of the most potent in the NFL? Time will only tell. It appears unlikely at the moment, but anything can happen for a team that will be looking to compete with Kansas City and Buffalo deep into the postseason.
For those curious about the other two odds for AFC North teams, the Steelers sit at +5000 while the Bengals are +6600 on DraftKings.
It appears all but likely Jones will find a new home before the new season kicks off. Will it be difficult for Atlanta to part with Jones for lower than the asking price? Jones is currently 32 years old with a list of nagging injuries that have followed him, along with a $15.3 million cap hit for the upcoming season.
With the Ravens searching for a premier receiver and the Browns possessing the cap space to already welcome Julio with open arms, two contending teams in the AFC North appear to be real possibilities to welcome the services of Julio Jones.
Donnie Druin is a Deputy Editor with AllSteelers. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
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