Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Julio Jones potentially being available for a trade isn't exactly new information, but The Athletic's Jeff Schultz just flat-out said the Falcons would like to trade Jones. That doesn't necessarily mean Jones will be traded, but Atlanta would like to do it because of its current status in cap hell.
Schultz notes that “Jones’ availability on the trade market has been clear almost from the time new general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith landed in Atlanta and realized the extent of the team’s salary-cap problems.” While the Falcons have made moves to try to alleviate these problems, including restructuring Matt Ryan's contract (they didn't want to do this), more cap space is needed to sign their draft picks.
Jones and Grady Jarrett are the two main options to fix the cap issues. Atlanta would like to keep the 28-year-old Jarrett for the long haul, so that leaves either a Jones contract restructure or trade. The Falcons apparently would prefer not to restructure Jones' contract, even if they still think he can play and be part of an explosive offense when healthy.
A post-June Jones trade would save Atlanta about $15 million in cap. While the 32-year-old is still good when healthy, injuries have hampered him. Jones missed seven games last season.
Making things trickier is that the market for Julio Jones may not be all that robust:
Many teams would like Jones on their roster, but not many realistically can trade for him. The Falcons’ hope is that enough teams (think: three to five) express interest to create a market. Think of 1) teams with enough cap space to absorb Jones’ $15.3 million base salary; 2) contending teams that believe he would put them over the top; 3) young teams looking to take the next step. Among the teams that could fall into these categories: Ravens, 49ers, Patriots, Colts and Chargers. One league source said the Titans also may show interest, but they also are close to the cap ceiling.
The Falcons would like draft compensation for Jones, but they likely won't get a first-round pick. Suitors could also look for Atlanta to eat some of his contract.
This Julio Jones situation will be one to monitor as the offseason continues.
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