Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan & Julio Jones are still a Top 5 QB/WR duo

With all the talk this week about the Atlanta Falcons trading wide receiver Julio Jones, people seem to forget that he and quarterback Matt Ryan are still among the best quarterback/receiver duos in the National Football League.

Matter of fact, Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton put Matt Ryan and Julio Jones as the third-best quarterback/receiver duo in the NFL behind Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams as well as Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill.

The quarterback/receiver duos of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs as well as Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins rounded out Moton’s Top 5.

Eventually, the Atlanta Falcons will break up the dynamic duo

All good things must come to an end. While one of the oldest clichés in the English language, it is very true especially when you are talking about a 35-year-old quarterback and a 32-year-old wide receiver. As great as they both are, their best days are behind them and both are on the downslopes of their careers.

That is not to say that neither is still highly productive or among the NFL’s best, but players slow down with age as their bodies simply don’t bounce back like they used to – especially a player that has taken the type of abuse that Matt has taken over his career.

While the team is looking to eventually move on from both players, at least one of them will be on the roster for the next couple of years and it won’t be Julio.

His contract gives the team an affordable trade option post-June 1st and don’t be shocked if the team has an NBA-type agreement in place this weekend to trade Julio for a player drafted this year and a first or second-round pick in 2022.

We know Baltimore is among those interested in Julio’s services as they look to surround former MVP, Lamar Jackson, with more weapons in the passing game – especially after announcing that they are indeed picking up his fifth-year option.

Many of us aren’t ready to see the dynamic duo of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones break up but unfortunately, that is where we sit as we enter the off-season activities of the 2021 NFL off-season.