Getty Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Atlanta Falcons just lost one of, if not their most, impactful players on their team, Julio Jones.
While Falcons fans are weeping, Dallas Cowboys hater and NFL analyst Stephen A. Smith is a big fan of Jones heading to Tennessee.
“I love it!,” Smith said about Jones joining the AFC on ESPN’s First Take. “I personally love it. Because sometimes the best defense is a lethal offense. You gotta take into consideration the level of competition. We can’t just look at the Titans in a vacuum––you have to look at the rest of the AFC and what they’re bringing to the table.”
Jones joining the team should help take the Titans to a third-straight post-season, but only if the Titans’ defense can keep up with the competition such as the Kansas City Chiefs.
As for former NFL player-turned analyst Keyshawn Johnson, he doesn’t see the Titans keeping up in the division.
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Titans Betting Odds to Win the AFC Division With Julio Jones
New betting odds were released following the Julio Jones trade and the Titans have the seventh-best odds, with the Indianapolis Colts ahead of them.
After a second Super Bowl run, the Kansas City Chiefs fall at No. 1 followed by the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, and then the Colts and Titans.
Johnson argues with Stephen A. why these odds rankings make sense.
“Yes, they ( the Titans) got two dynamic bookends. But, that means you have to go away from what your staple is, which is running the football,” Johnson said.
Johnson points out the Ravens, who added receivers Rashod Batemen and Sammy Watkins and wideout coaches Keith Williams and Tee Martin, are still better than the Titans and didn’t need to pull the trigger on Jones.
“You never heard of him. But trust me Stephen A. when I tell you this, nobody is better than him in the NFL and he came from college. He’s trained Davante Adams, along with Tyreek Hill, and a host of other guys. And then Tee Martin, who came from college. You’ve seen the receiver he’s developed in his young coaching career. So, they did some stuff on the offense that makes me go, ‘hm I don’t think the Julio Jones thing, based on everything that they did, they needed to go that route.'”
Johnson also doesn’t think it was the best move for Tennessee.
Johnson Addresses the Key Thing People Are Missing with the Julio Jones Trade
The Tenessee Titans have already been contenders over the past two seasons. Johnson addresses why adding Jones to their offense is not going to make a big impact.
“When you get somebody like Julio Jones, the mindset changes for the new offensive coordinator. All of a sudden, he thinks that the offensive identity needs to change because you got a prolific star wide receiver and you get away from doing the things that you do best. That is going to be the problem with the Tennessee Titans. On top of that, their offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith is now the head coach in Atlanta.”
On top of that, Johnson believes that the Titans should not have let Corey Davis walk in exchange for a 32-year-old guy who is no longer in the shape to duplicate a 1500-yard season.
Of course, anyone’s initial response to adding a seven-time Pro Bowler and future first-ballot Hall of Farmer to their team is going to be excitement. But this is technically a new Titans team who will have to adjust their offense to fit Jones into their scheme, which may or may not work out in their favor.
We’ll find out if the Titans wasted their money in 91 days when the 2021 NFL season kicks off.
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