Looking at Julio Jones cap numbers and future options

Will Julio Jones be an Atlanta Falcon for life?

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has been battling with a hamstring injury during the 2020 NFL season but has still had a productive season. Many NFL insiders across the league were wondering if Julio Jones was going to get traded before the NFL tradeline.

Thankfully, the Atlanta Falcons did not trade Julio because he needs to continue to be an important puzzle piece moving forward. As much as fans want to see Julio Jones go to a winning team, the Atlanta Falcons still need him.

Calvin Ridley has benefitted tremendously learning from Jones to the start of his career. However, he is still not ready to be the true number one receiver of the team after seeing him play in games without Julio Jones against the Bears, Packers, and Panthers.

The Atlanta Falcons lost all three of those games and the score or result would have drastically changed with Julio Jones on the field.

Julio is currently thirty-one years old and is still one of the game’s top receivers. He might not be the best wide receiver anymore the way Deandre Hopkins and Devante Adams are playing this season, but he is still a top-five wide receiver.

Looking at his contract, the Atlanta Falcons are going to be better off keeping him rather than trading him. The Houston Texans received a second-round pick for Deandre Hopkins.

There is only one clear choice for Julio Jones and the Falcons in the near future.

Julio Jones is going to have a $23 Million dollar cap hit next season and the Atlanta Falcons are already projected to have -$25 Million in cap space. To get under the cap and to add talent to the roster the Atlanta Falcons need to do something about his contract.

Cutting him is not an option because the Falcons would lose $15 Million in cap space and would have another $38 Million in dead money.

If the Atlanta Falcons cut Julio Jones post-June 1st they would gain $0 cap space and would have $23 Million in dead money.

The Atlanta Falcons would also be extremely dumb to cut a future hall of fame wide receiver. Although the Falcons did not trade Vic Beasley or Takkarist McKinley for second-round picks so never count them out for any stupid offseason move.

Trading Julio is also not going to be beneficial for the Atlanta Falcons. If the Atlanta Falcons traded Julio Jones in the offseason, the Falcons would lose $200,000 in cap space and carry $23 Million in dead money. If the Atlanta Falcons traded Julio Jones after June 1st, they would receive $15 Million in cap space and have $7 Million in dead money.

Julio Jones is a future Hall of Famer and the Atlanta Falcons are better off keeping him instead of trading him unless they receive a king’s ransom. The Atlanta Falcons need to still do something about Julio Jones’s contract.

The best option is to restructure his contract.

If the Atlanta Falcons restructured Julio Jones’s contract, they would receive $9 Million in cap space. The only other option would be an extension but with three years left on his deal, the Atlanta Falcons would not give him an extension this upcoming offseason.

The most logical move the Atlanta Falcons can make with Julio Jones is keeping him on the team and restructuring his deal. The way the Atlanta Falcons roster is set up their best bet is to win now.

Just like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones gives the Atlanta Falcons the best opportunity to win now. Many fans want to see both go elsewhere. The Atlanta Falcons need to keep their future hall of fame quarterback and wide receiver.