Thanks to the rival Saints, the market for wide receiver Julio Jones seismically shifted Wednesday.
A day after Jones said he wasn’t in the same boat as Thomas and Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, Thomas agreed to a record-breaking five-year, $100 million deal, which included $61 million in guaranteed new money, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Analysts on ESPN’s “Get Up” show threw out the notion that Julio Jones, who’s older than Thomas at 30, is worth $120 million. Thomas, a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2016, is 26. He’s had three 1,000 yard seasons to start his career and was named to two Pro Bowl teams and was All-Pro last season.
“When we started the show off, I said it was downright disrespectful for Amari Cooper and Michael Thomas to be in the same breath as Julio Jones,” said ESPN analyst DeAngelo Williams, the former Panthers running back. “With that being said, if he got $61 million guaranteed, if I’m Julio, I can’t go less than $70 (million) to $75 (million) because I know what it means to this team for me to be here.
“You only go as far as I take you. Granted Drew Brees is a Hall of Fame quarterback. Michael Thomas is a great talent. He deserved every dollar that he got. But let’s just be honest, Drew Brees is good enough to win games on his own without Michael Thomas.
“I’m not so sure that Matty Ice (Ryan) is good enough to win without Julio Jones.”
Jones said that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, is still in the process of negotiating his contract extension.
Sexton has not responded to several email and phone calls requesting an interview.
“I don’t really want to talk about the contract,” Jones said initially Tuesday.
When asked if he was waiting on Thomas or Cooper to strike a deal, he discussed the situation.
“Nah, we’re not in the same boat,” Jones said. “They got their own thing going on. I’ve got my thing going on. I’m not waiting on Michael Thomas. I’m not waiting on Amari Cooper. It’s just us going back and forth, negotiating. That’s it. There is nothing at this point for me to tell. My thing is coming out here, working with the young guys and being ready when the season starts.”
Jones said he will not play in the exhibition season.
The Falcons have been working on an extension for the six-time Pro Bowl selection, who’s on the verge of breaking the team’s all-time yards receiving mark.
Jones’ age probably will factor in, as it wouldn’t be prudent for the Falcons to have Jones on the books at age 34, 35 and 36 with a big-money deal. Former Falcons great Roddy White played until he was 34.
Several experts projected that Jones’ deal would be a three-year deal.
Jones' new deal is projected to be three years and worth $51.8 million, with $33 million guaranteed at signing, according to Spotrac.
The Falcons agreed to improving Jones’ contract after it was adjusted July 27, 2018.
Jones’ deal has two years remaining, with the dynamic receiver scheduled to make $9.6 million in 2019 and $11.4 million in 2020.
The Falcons likely will have to double Jones’ base salary and grant a two or three-year extension to lessen the salary-cap ramifications.
Before Thomas deal, Joel Corry, CBS Sports NFL business analyst, believes that Jones could land a three-year, $60 million extension and help to reduce the Falcons' salary cap by $4-5 million.
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