Julio Jones is cool as a cucumber at the negotiating table as well as in the clutch, as it turns out. Jones is expected to sign a revised contract with the Falcons this offseason that should make him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL, eclipsing the deals for Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. and possibly paying him $20 million plus per season.
While the Falcons haven’t had much luck negotiating a long-term deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, all parties sound confident about a compromise between the franchise and its best player. Owner Arthur Blank recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that both Jarrett and Jones will be Falcons for life.
Jones also seems unperturbed by the contract talks. According to Vaughn McClure at ESPN, Jones says he’s comfortable and there’s no pressure on either side.
“My agent [Jimmy Sexton] is in the process of them talking about it. It hasn’t came to me. I’m good. I’m comfortable with how everybody’s doing it. There’s no pressure on my end and none on their end.”
In typical unselfish Julio Jones fashion, he told McClure he cares more about the team being able to keep other players around rather than being the league’s highest paid receiver.
As it happens, doing one can help the other. By re-working Jones’ deal, they can backload his cap hits and free up more room for 2019. According to Over the Cap, the team can save $4.33 million with a restructure for Jones or $6.93 million on an extension.
