In the midst of the Julio Jones trade rumors, Atlanta Falcons‘ head coach Arthur Smith addressed the media again on Wednesday.
Jones hasn’t attended any organized offseason team activities thus far, and whether or not he’ll be at the Falcons mandatory minicamp next week remains a mystery.
“We have conversations all the time with all our players,” Smith told reporters on Wednesday, June 2. “There’s good communication going back and forth through multiple avenues, so we’ll see what happens next week, where we’re at, you know? I can answer that for you next week.”
The All-Pro wideout wants out of Atlanta and June 1 was the first day that made the trade more likely to happen with the Falcons now able to dodge a massive cap hit.
Jones initially requested a trade before the 2021 NFL Draft in April and since then, the Falcons have been taking calls from several teams.
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Smith Continues to Remain Private About Julio Jones Trade Rumors
While Jones hasn’t been so private about wanting to move on from the Falcons, Smith has been staying quiet about the trade speculations out of respect for his player.
When asked about Jones and his live TV appearance on Fox’s Undisputed, Smith repeatedly denied commenting on the incident and told reporters that any discussions he’s had with Jones are “private.”
“My door’s always open. My phone’s always on. There’s a level of trust that we want to build here with the players. All the players know that,” Smith said during a conference call on May 25. “Again, on my end, we have private conversations. Those are private, and I’m going to keep it that way.”
Jones has been a staple not only to the franchise but also to the city of Atlanta. However, when it comes down to it, the NFL is a business and Smith plans to keep it professional no matter how hard it might be for the team or fans.
“Look, this is a tough business. We all signed up for it, coaches and players, we understand that. But everything we do here is going to be well-thought-out and it’s going to be handled behind the scenes with dignity with the players. As long as I’m here, that’s the way it’ll be done.”
The Seahawks are the New Favorite to Land Jones
It’s expected we have seen the last of the Jones-Atlanta era and as of now, the Seattle Seahawks are the new betting favorite to land the seven-time Pro Bowler.
This makes sense after Seattle’s quarterback, Russell Wilson, recently spoke to Jones about the “possibility of playing together,” ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported.
The Falcons’ asking price for Jones is a first-round pick and a player. This could be too high for Seattle, who doesn’t have a 2022 first-round pick to offer. However, several analysts speculate that the Falcons will settle for a future second-round pick instead.
Jones, 32, is set to make $15.3 million this season. He played in just nine games last season due to a hamstring injury, where he had 51 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns. In 10 NFL seasons, Jones has 848 catches for 12,896 yards and 60 touchdowns in his 10 seasons.
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Arthur Smith Uncertain About Julio Jones’s Status for Falcons Minicamp