Getty Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
One of the biggest moves of the 2021 offseason was when the Atlanta Falcons traded wide receiver Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans. The seven-time Pro Bowler has long been considered one the premier wide receivers in the NFL and was supposed to form a formidable duo with A.J. Brown. Instead, Jones only played in 10 games due to injury last season and had a career-low in receiving yards with 434.
It figured to just be a down season but the Titans aren’t confident he’ll turn things around and have decided to release him, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini and Adam Schefter.
The Titans are planning on releasing WR Julio Jones, sources tell @AdamSchefter and me
Jones is 33-years-old and is coming off two straight down years but went off for 1,394 yards in 2019. If he can stay healthy, he should still be a No. 1 wide receiver. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team that could really use an elite wide receiver. Jones is getting long in the tooth but could be a good addition if the team misses out on other free agent options. Running back and fellow former Alabama star Josh Jacobs is already trying to get the legendary WR over to Sin City.
The recruiting continues @iAM_JoshJacobs showing us what Julio Jones would look like in Las Vegas #RaiderNation #Raiders
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Jones Would Make Sense at Right Price
Jones getting cut outright after the Titans sacrificed a second-round pick to get him just a year ago won’t exactly help his market. Many will say he’s washed up after two straight lackluster seasons marred by injuries. While there are legitimate concerns about how much he has left in the tank, now could be the perfect time for the Raiders to sign him.
Jones is truly one of the most dynamic wide receivers to ever play and should be in the Hall of Fame one day. He went six straight seasons with over 1,300 receiving yards from 2014 to 2019. He’s proven to be human in recent years but there’s no reason to believe he doesn’t have a couple more 1,000 yard receiving seasons left in him. If the Raiders can get him on a contract that’s around two years for $20 million, they absolutely should sign him. Signings Jones and drafting a dynamic wide receiver prospect early would be a recipe for success.
Raiders Have Had Success With Older WRs
A lot of great wide receivers start to decline when they reach their mid-30s but Jones is a transcendent talent. The Raiders have experience with transcendent wide receivers who play well into their 30s. In fact, Jerry Rice had 1,211 receiving yards as a 40-year-old with the team in 2002. When Tim Brown was Jones’ age (33), he had 1,344 receiving yards and had two more 1,000+ yard seasons before retiring.
The Raiders wouldn’t need Jones to be the future at the position but a couple of good years would go a long way in helping the team compete with some elite AFC West offenses. The move would also make sense with Jones as he’d get to play with a great offensive coach in Josh McDaniels and a very good quarterback in Derek Carr.
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