Getty Julio Jones before a game against Denver in 2020.
The Baltimore Ravens still have plenty of needs as they begin to think about completing their roster for the 2021 season, and they’ve been encouraged to make a bold move that would powerfully fill one of them.
Interestingly enough, the Atlanta Falcons have reportedly been taking trade calls on wideout Julio Jones. If Jones is available, it would add a big-play wideout on the market, which could be huge for teams that are looking for the inside track at another playmaker for their team.
The latest Ravens news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Ravens newsletter here!
Such a team could be the Ravens, who still need help at wideout. Some think it would be smart of the team to trade for another piece, and Jones could be just the piece they have in mind. According to a new Bleacher Report piece, the Ravens should be one of the teams looking to trade for Jones. Writer Gary Davenport put Baltimore on a new list of teams that should look into trading for the receiver thanks to what he could bring to the offense.
He wrote:
“It’s too bad that Jones can’t be traded before June 1. Were that not the case, the Baltimore Ravens could use the extra pick that they obtained from the Kansas City Chiefs to vault to the top of the list of potential suitors for Jones’ services.
The Ravens made a concerted effort to upgrade the passing-game weapons available to Lamar Jackson in free agency, but they were largely unsuccessful. Just about everyone believes that Baltimore will draft a wideout with either the 27th or 31st pick on Thursday.
Trading for Jones wouldn’t preclude the Ravens from doing that. But it would give Baltimore options, and there’s quite a bit of difference between hoping that a young receiver like Florida’s Kadarius Toney can become a No. 1 receiver and knowing Jones has spent the past decade doing so.
The Ravens currently sit about $15 million under the salary cap, and with the AFC North shaping up as perhaps the NFL’s toughest division in 2021, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta has to at least consider any move that will help the Ravens keep pace with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Odds are, the Ravens are going to try to add more help for their offense in the draft, and even if they do, someone like Jones coming into the mix could prove to be a huge addition. Regardless of when the move could play out, Jones could be on top Baltimore’s list given what he can do on the field.
Jones’ Career Stats
Adding Jones to the mix would undoubtably be the power move Baltimore had in mind. In terms of a decorated option at the position, there’s been few better through the years than Jones. At 32, he is beginning to age a bit but there has been massive production through the years for the Falcons to rely on. Jones has put up 12,896 receiving yards in his career to go with 60 touchdowns. More than that, he has been a seven-time Pro Bowl player, a two-time first-team All-Pro, a two-time leader in NFL receiving yards and has played in the Super Bowl. It feels like forever ago that Jones was the sixth pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Alabama, and he has been a model of consistency during his time in the league.
Analyzing Jones’ Potential Fit With Ravens
So what’s next for the Ravens the rest of the offseason? They still need a wideout to help the offense, and that’s true even after the team has beefed up their offensive line as well as the tight end spot and kept some of their defensive stars in-house. Baltimore signed Sammy Watkins, but one more elite pass catcher could be a great move for the team to help come in and expand the offense for Lamar Jackson and company. The team hasn’t been able to get elite play from anyone at the wideout spot the last few years, so the pressure is on to add as many weapons as possible this offseason. Jones would be a good move with this in mind.
In free agency, the Ravens were turned down by some of their bigger-name targets, so striking a trade could be the next best option for a team that is flush with picks and the ability to make something happen. If Jones was the preferred move, it would be hard to disagree with it from the Baltimore perspective thanks to the play and leadership he’d bring to the team.
READ NEXT: Ravens Land Orlando Brown Jr. ‘Replacement’ Within Mock