Julio Jones Next Team: Top Odds Include Falcons & Cowboys

“I’m dedicated to being a Falcon for all times.”

These eight phrases, expressed by then-Atlanta Falcons star receiver Julio Jones after signing a three-year, $66 million contract extension in Sept. 2019, proved unfaithful final offseason, when the five-time All-Professional was traded to the Tennessee Titans.

The time had come for the Falcons to half methods with one in all its greatest gamers in franchise historical past, with each events seemingly needing the change. Falcons head coach Arthur Smith dubbed the deal a “win-win,” with Atlanta receiving wage cap aid and Tennessee gaining an All-Decade participant.

Now, following an injury-riddled season that restricted Jones to simply 10 video games and 31 receptions for 434 yards and one landing, the Falcons’ 2011 first-round decide is on the free agent market as Tennessee launched him in March.

Is a reunion with Atlanta in sight?

In response to Bookies.com, the Falcons have the seventh-highest odds for which staff Jones performs for in Week 1, with oddsmakers inserting the road at +1200 and giving the pairing just below an eight-percent likelihood of occurring.

The Inexperienced Bay Packers are the favorites for Jones’ companies, adopted by the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys.

Jones’ tenure in Atlanta wasn’t supposed to finish the way in which that it did. He had a constructive relationship with proprietor Arthur Clean, and each needed the now-33-year-old to be a lifelong member of the group.

Whereas Atlanta did must open up cap house, Clean stated that the newly employed duo of Smith and basic supervisor Terry Fontenot needed to maintain Jones, and “did an excellent job making an attempt to get him to remain right here,” however that Jones was prepared to maneuver on.

Additional, Clean said that he was “bothered” and “disillusioned” with the way that his relationship with Jones ended, which appeared to incorporate Jones not talking on to Clean.

Past Jones’ lack of curiosity in taking part in beneath Atlanta’s new regime and seemingly broken relationship with its proprietor, there’s additionally the aspect that a lot of the faces on the staff have modified since he performed his last snap for the Falcons in Week 13 of the 2020 season.

Most notably, the QB he spent his whole profession with – Matt Ryan – was shipped off to the Colts earlier this offseason. Moreover, Olamide Zaccheaus is the lone receiver left in Atlanta who Jones took snaps with.

There would nonetheless be some acquainted faces, together with left deal with Jake Matthews, defensive deal with Grady Jarrett, and cornerback A.J. Terrell, however for essentially the most half, Jones could be returning to a locker room with model new coaches and gamers.

Jones definitely holds an attachment to the Falcons group. He spent 10 seasons in Atlanta and emerged as one of many biggest gamers to ever put on the crimson and black.

At 6-3, 220 kilos, Jones’ dimension could be a wonderful slot in Smith’s offense, and with the Falcons now in a much-improved state of affairs with the wage cap, it’s financially possible that Jones may return to the staff.

Nevertheless, Jones returning to the Falcons does not appear to be a practical consequence, particularly when contemplating his change of feelings in direction of the franchise and that he is doubtless extra inclined to play for a contender reasonably than a staff in transition comparable to Atlanta.

Jones might not have spent his complete profession with the Falcons, however he does have an opportunity to make a return. Whereas the percentages give it a good likelihood of occurring, a reunion with the staff that gave him his begin simply does not appear to be within the playing cards.