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Julio Jones: Don’t Fret Over No New Deal Yet

By John Buhler

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Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones enters 2015 on the last year of his rookie contract with the team.

In what will likely be a distraction until resolution occurs, Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl wideout Julio Jones remains unsigned with the team that drafted him after the end of this upcoming NFL season.  Jones will command top dollar in free agency as a Top 5 WR in the NFL.

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With each passing day as we creep closer to training camp, Falcons fans are growing more restless about if Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff can keep Julio Jones in Atlanta for the long term.  Should we as Falcons fans be worried?

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    • While it would stink to lose Julio Jones to free agency, I wouldn’t fret too much about it these next few days.  Thomas Dimitroff tends to get deals done before training camp begins.  He signed Quarterback Matt Ryan to a 5-year extension back in 2013 and Roddy White in 2014 minutes to midnight before last year’s Hard Knocks covered Training Camp.

    We know that Owner Arthur Blank is more than willing to shell out some dough.  He envisions taking a championship level team into the New Atlanta Stadium in 2017, whose co-tenants will be the expansion MLS Club Atlanta United FC who he also owns.  All of those awesome things cost some serious money, something Mr. Blank has plenty of.  So it wouldn’t surprise me for Blank to pay Julio Jones to keep him in Atlanta Falcons uniform well into his 30’s.

    When the Atlanta Falcons moved up to #6 in the 2011 NFL Draft to select Julio Jones out of the University of Alabama, the Dirty Birds to some extent jeopardize part of their future in acquiring the All-SEC wideout.  Though Cleveland essentially turned Julio Jones into QB Brandon Weeden with their 2012 first round pick via the Falcons, perhaps Dimitroff could have liked to have kept a few of those picks surrendered to Cleveland for Jones.

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    Essentially by moving up the draft board to select Julio Jones in the first place made him a long-term investment right away for the Falcons.  Letting him walk after five years and star for somebody else would make many Falcons diehards question why TD moved up to take him in the first place.  Believe me when I say that Dimitroff is going to do everything in his power to keep Jones with the Atlanta Falcons for the next several seasons.

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    I applaud Jones’ decision to continue with the offseason work set in motion by the new coaching regime rather than holding out for more money like Dallas WR Dez Bryant or San Diego S Eric Weddle.  Though is deal is expiring rapidly, Jones is doing the right thing by being an accountable teammate and participating in the offseason protocol.

    I believe that a long-term deal is coming for Julio Jones.  He will sign a four to five-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, making him potentially the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.  His patience and cooperation through these tedious contract negotiations will yield in a lucrative payday for Jones and his agent Jimmy Sexton.

    Next: Atlanta Falcons' Training Camp Necessities for 2015

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