Atlanta Falcons Should Ignore Julio Jones Wish For New Contract
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Falcons star receiver Julio Jones is making headlines for the wrong reasons for once in his career.
Julio Jones wants a new contract from the Atlanta Falcons and opted to skip mini-camp in favor of working out with T.O. away from his teammates. Any way you slice it for Jones it isn’t a good look for a receiver who has always been lauded for his focus on football.
Meaning his focus was on football and not on displaying some of the diva receiver tendencies players like T.O. did in their careers.
Coach Dan Quinn recently spoke on this issue and brushed it aside as did Matt Ryan you can read their comments here.
Looking at the Falcon’s projected cap space and the amount of young talent they need to sign on the defensive side of the ball signing Jones would be challenging.
If the Falcons listen to Jones and pay him more despite the three years left on his deal another player may get left out in the cold. Jones has a contract aging badly but it is a contract he signed.
Jones made the decision to sign the contract he did for the Falcons knowing it would eventually be passed. For the Falcons they have to consider the business side of giving Julio what he wants. If Jones can demand more pay who else might decide to hold out in the future?
While I am in favor of player mobility in any sport I am not in favor of athletes holding out who have more than two years left on their current deals and are being paid fairly.
Making a deal with Jones would be a tone-setter for the rest of the League and the rest of the lineup. While there are similar situations around the League the majority of players holding out have less time left on their deal and fewer young teammates the front office must pay soon.
For the Falcons it is a risky decision deciding not to pay what their star seems to be demanding but it is the right one.
The only other viable option for the Falcons would be extending Jones and backloading his contract or switching money around to pay him more this year as opposed to next or in 2020.
Next: Matt Ryan Reaches Forbes Top Ten
Regardless of what they decide the Falcons have a big problem on their hands one that could decide if Jones will stay in Atlanta for the rest of his career.