Getty Julio Jones runs with the ball while playing for the Tennessee Titans.
July is underway, and the Dallas Cowboys continue to be linked to star wide receivers in free agency, including a former Tennessee Titans star.
The team signed ex-Pittsburgh Steelers WR and free agent James Washington this past spring and also added South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert in the third round of the NFL draft. But the departure of star receiver Amari Cooper still hangs over the offseason, and some have expected Dallas to add another pass-catcher.
Now, Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson is projecting the Cowboys to be a legitimate destination for Julio Jones. Jones is a free agent after his wayward season with the Tennessee Titans, and Thompson’s new projections has Dallas competing with the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers for the receiver.
The Cowboys are projected at 550+, while the Colts are +350 and the Packers are +325 per Thompson.
“The Cowboys replaced Amari Cooper with Michael Gallup in the starting lineup, but behind Gallup and CeeDee Lamb isn’t much,” Thompson wrote. “For a team that passes as much as anyone, and with Dak Prescott at QB, Dallas should have a spot for a player like Jones.”
Jones has been one of the most successful and popular receivers of the past decade, and the idea of him in Dallas has to be exciting for fans.
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Jones’ Journey Through the NFL
After a monstrous college career at Alabama, Jones was drafted with the sixth overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Over the next decade, he would solidify himself as one of the NFL’s greatest receivers.
Over his 10 seasons in Atlanta, Jones reached 750+ receiving yards in eight seasons, only failing to do so in 2011 and 2020 when he played just five and and nine games respectively, per PFR. His receiving yards per game average in Atlanta was a whopping 95.5 YPG.
Jones infamously has a hole in his resume when it comes to touchdowns, reaching the 10-TD mark once in his career. However, he still had 60 TDs as a Falcons receiver, which meant he scored in 44.4 percent of his appearances.
Jones left Atlanta in a trade to the Titans before the 2021 season, but it did not pan out. Jones played 10 games, catching just 31 passes for 434 receiving yards and a touchdown. Looking to save over $9 million, the Titans released the 33-year-old WR as a post-June 1 designation.
Can Cowboys Afford Former Titans Star?
There’s no question that Jones has something to offer NFL teams despite his age, but it’s really a matter of if the Cowboys should spend the money on the receiver. Dallas has $21.15 million in cap space according to Spotrac, but Jones would definitely be a luxury signing.
To put it in perspective, the former Crimson Tide star’s most recent contract paid him an average $22 million a year. Even if Dallas paid him half that amount, that’d be over 50% of their available cap space.
Further, the Cowboys will need to save some of that space for any potential extensions or emergency signings, such as an extension for tight end Dalton Schultz.
Essentially, Dallas can afford Jones, but they’ll be putting a sizable chunk of money on the line. But if the former Titans WR still has gas in the tank, he could completely change the perspective of the offense.
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Cowboys Named as Top-3 Favorites to Sign 6-Time Pro Bowl WR: Report