He’s outta there: Falcons trade Julio Jones to Titans

The trade ends a relationship between Jones and the franchise that had been in decline for several years and took a messy turn recently with public comments by Jones. And the move also helps the team create a huge amount of salary-cap space heading into the first season for new coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot.

“Julio Jones will always be part of the Falcons story, having set numerous records and creating many great memories for all our fans, including me, since the day we drafted him,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “He has been a fixture on our team for almost half the time I have owned the Falcons.”

By trading Jones after June 1, the Falcons are allowed to split his dead-cap charge over two seasons and could create $15.3 million in salary-cap space and have room to sign their rookie class. The Titans are taking on all of the Jones’ contract (with cap numbers of $15.3 million in 2021 and $19.263 million in ‘22 and 23) without any contribution from the Falcons.

Jones was not available for comment. The Falcons released a statement announcing the trade, and announced coach Smith would be available to the media on Tuesday.

“If we have a chance to shoot, we shoot,” Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson said to the Nashville media. “We felt like this was a time to pull the trigger, and I’m glad we did.”

The Titans have big plans for Jones.

“Our job is to get Julio Jones in here, make sure the physical looks good, and help him get acclimated,” Robinson said.

Jones was a mainstay of the offense since he was drafted sixth overall out of Alabama in 2011. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro and a member of the NFL’s all-decade team for the 2010s, Jones made arguably the biggest catch in franchise history with his leaping grab against the Patriots in Super Bowl 51.

Jones also is the Falcons’ all-time leader in 100-yard games (57), single-season receptions (136) and receiving yards (1,871) as well as the single-game record for receiving yards (300).

But he’s coming off a season in which he only played nine games, and his huge cap number could not be overlooked by the new regime.

“We knew when we stepped into this we were going to have to make some tough decisions because it’s just the reality of it,” Fontenot said earlier this year. “That’s where we are with the salary cap. So, we have to make some difficult decisions, so we have to look at all the different options and all the different scenarios.”

Jones recently went on Shannon Sharpe’s TV show on FS1 and stated “I’m outta there” when asked about his time with the Falcons. The appearance didn’t go over well with the Falcons, who were trying to work behind the scenes to honor a trade request by Jones made in March.

“We’ve got so much respect and appreciation for what Julio Jones has done down here for the franchise and what he’s been to the city,” Smith said at the time. “Like I said earlier, we have conversations about our roster all the time. There are things that happen; you have to have contingency plans.”

One Titan, wide receiver AJ Brown took to social media to express he view of the trade.

“Please excuse my language when I say this ‘y’all done (abbreviated F-word) up’,” Brown wrote on Twitter with a photoshopped photo of Jones in a Titans uniform.

Jones will join a Tennessee offense which features 2020 NFL leading rusher Derrick Henry and emerging receiver A.J. Brown. The Falcons’ receiving corps will now be led by Calvin Ridley, who became the team’s No. 1 target in 2020, and 2021 first-round pick Kyle Pitts.

“As we both move in another direction, I’m deeply grateful for what Julio has done for our team and what he has meant to our city and, in my mind, he will always be part of the Falcons family,” said Blank, who once called Jones ‘A Falcon for life.’ “I wish him nothing but the best in Tennessee and throughout his life.”

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