Julio Jones wants out but will he get his wish

Julio Jones made an unexpected appearance on Undisputed when Shannon Sharp decided to make a phone call. In the aftermath of the live conversation, there is plenty of speculation on whether Julio was aware that the call was on live T.V. Whether he was or not is a moot point, the message was clear.

Julio Jones has always been a quiet superstar in the NFL and rarely speaks out to the media however, he was straightforward today.

The conversation is pretty cut and dry with little room for interpretations. When asked about playing for Atlanta, “I’m out of there” and “I just want to win”.

It seems obvious now that Julio wants out of Atlanta and the trade rumors have been more than speculation. The phone call was quickly backed up by Ian Rapoport reporting that Julio requested a trade weeks ago which lead to all of the speculation of his time in Atlanta being on its last leg.

Julio Jones wanting out and getting out maybe two different things

There have been plenty of situations where a player has asked for a trade and expressed a desire to play elsewhere and been unable to get out of town. All reports are that the Atlanta Falcons have been looking for a first-round pick in return for Julio but also that so far no one has been willing to pay that price.

With the star wideout breaking his silence on the situation and ending speculation the question now is whether teams will up their offers or if Fontenot and the Atlanta Falcons will be willing to come down on their demands.

While making a player of Julio Jones caliber and stature play in a situation he does not want to be in is not a great optic, the team simply cannot trade Julio without the proper compensation. If the front office makes a trade without the proper return, it will send an awfully bad signal to the locker room and the fanbase.

One of the franchise’s most beloved players wants out, but whether he gets out remains to be seen. Post-June first is when the cap savings take a big jump on Julio’s contract. The next week will be filled with speculation but it’s unlikely we will see an answer before June first, and it could take significantly longer.

The teams willing to take less than market value will come down to just how unhappy the All-Pro truly is.

Per Rapaport’s tweet the team has treated Julio the right way during all of this so perhaps the situation can be salvaged but at the moment it certainly looks like Julio Jones’ time in Atlanta is drawing to a close.