Atlanta Falcons have no recourse but to trade Julio Jones now

As the NFL calendar creeps closer and closer to June 1, there is a growing sentiment that the Atlanta Falcons will trade All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.

It will be a difficult pill to swallow for most Atlanta Falcons fans to see Julio Jones traded, but the team almost has no recourse due to the financial situation the previous regime left the team in. There have been numerous reports circulating lately that the Falcons are listening to trade offers for Jones and are looking to deal him. The fact that they are in salary cap purgatory leaves them with almost no recourse but to trade him.

If the Falcons trade him post-June 1, they will free up $15.3 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, which is desperately needed. Otherwise, the team can’t afford to pay their rookie class of 2021, sadly.

The previous regime left the organization in this mess when they extended Jones’ contract for three years in September 2019. It seldom happens in the NFL when a player plays out the full life of their contract when signed or extended to a lucrative deal — at least for non-quarterbacks.

Easier said than done, but the Falcons probably should have realized this and potentially seen this coming. In today’s NFL, it is very rare for a player of Jones’ caliber to play his entire career with the same team. This is just the nature of business in the league.

If the Falcons are able to find a trade partner that has the cap space to take on $15.3 million in salary, then they will most likely pull the trigger on a trade. It quite simply comes down to economics. Sure, the Falcons can possibly clear up additional cap space by restructuring Jones’ deal again, but this isn’t likely.

This is also contingent upon compensation offered in return, obviously, and whether or not the Falcons feel as though they will not get a better offer.

There should be a substantial market for Julio Jones among eligible buyers the Atlanta Falcons can deal with.

Almost every NFL team would be unwise to not have internal discussions about a potential trade for Julio Jones. Whether or not it is financially feasible for teams is another issue. Not only would a trade to a contending team have to be a good fit and make sense for Jones, there also aren’t many teams throughout the league who orchestrate such a trade and make it viable financially.

Jones would be an ideal fit with the Tennessee Titans alongside wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back Derrick Henry. Another ideal fit would be a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. The least desirable trade destination for Falcons fans would be the New England Patriots. The fact that they have had internal discussions regarding a trade means very little.

A trade to either the Titans or Colts would make both an instant Super Bowl contender in 2021. Reports also have surfaced that Julio Jones’ relationship with the Atlanta Falcons is now fractured and irreparable.

Although there is no indication that the Falcons have initiated any trade discussions, the fact that they are open to trading Jones and are willing to listen to offers speaks volumes as to where they stand. It would be very difficult to imagine Matt Ryan and this offense not having Jones moving forward.

Jones, even in his early 30s, is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. He is unguardable and will go down as probably the greatest player in Falcons history, along with Matt Ryan. Nobody deserves a Super Bowl trophy more than both of them. Unfortunately for Atlanta Falcons fans, it will most likely be with another team for both players. All good things must come to an end and nothing lasts forever; both in the NFL and in the real world.