The Falcons and Julio Jones could once again be ready to make progress on a new contract. On Wednesday, the wide receiver confirmed that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, is in town to discuss an extension with the club (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). 
Throughout the summer, we’ve heard that the Falcons and Jones were on the verge of a deal. The belief was that Jones’ contract would be signed just as soon as the ink dried on Michael Thomas‘ new pact worth up to $100MM, but three weeks have passed since the Saints star secured the bag.
For his part, Jones has remained patient and played the part of a good soldier by reporting for duty in July.
“Mr. Blank gave us his word. … That’s golden,” Jones said in June. “His word is that it’s going to get done. … There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it. [Blank] makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”
Jones’ 7,994 receiving yards since the 2014 season are the most any player has ever compiled in a five-year span. A new deal would be expected to position Jones as one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL in multiple categories.
Just pay the guy. He’s legit, and he’s not making this into a clown show like the rest of the guys in league… cough cough brown bell zeke
I’m guessing they were waiting out other potential WR contracts to make sure Julio sets the bar. They were always gonna pay him.
I’m all for paying Julio!…but are they really trying to to Michael Thomas 5 year deal? …Make Julio highest paid sure, but a 5 year deal probably not a wise investment thru his age 36 season?
No, but a higher AAV. That was my point, totally agree not a bigger overall deal. Great call on how he’s handling it though. Speaks to him as a person, also speaks to how the players feel about Blank and his commitments too.
The guy signs the richest deal for his position and 2 years later is surpassed and now he is “ being a solider” by coming to camp. Whatever happened to the deal 99.9 of us have to live by that you signed and gave “ your word” you would live up to that deal? Clowns like Jones have completely ruined Pro Sports for a lot of us out there trying to make a living by this type of ridiculousness. Hard to relate to any of them anymore.
It’s the world he lives in. Owners don’t honor those contracts and generally speaking the people in the top 0.1% of their professions in the world get to pick and choose what they want to do and jump from job to job to make the best money. He works in an industry where he can’t just go play for another team and also has, by most standards an incredibly short amount of time to use his skill set to make as much as he can. In most jobs you don’t put your long term health on the line, you’re not getting hit in the head every week. No problem with it. Good for him.
Apparently medications that cause players to believe that owners will keep their word are not on the restricted list.
agreed….but Arthur Blank is perhaps the most underrated owner in the league. He accommodates all sides very well from players, to owners, to coaches and fans. He’s not perfect I’m sure but he obviously gets my vote as the best owner in not only this league but in MLS as well!