Getty Julio Jones catches a pass against the Buffalo Bills.
The Buffalo Bills had one of the strongest passing attacks in the NFL last season, and now could be in the running to land a new seven-time Pro Bowler to add even more firepower to the air attack.
With reports that Julio Jones is on the way out in Atlanta, oddsmakers see the Bills as one of the potential landing spots for the big target. While some AFC rivals are seen as stronger frontrunners, the Bills were seen as potential players in a trade that would land another superstar to play alongside Stefon Diggs.
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Bills Seen as Longshot Contender
As Nick Wojton of USA Today’s Bills Wire noted, there were a dozen teams seen as potential trade targets for Jones when Bet Online listed odds. The Baltimore Ravens were listed as the most likely destination, followed by the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots. The Bills came out near the bottom of the list, the 11th most likely team to go after him.
As Wojton imagined how unstoppable the Bills passing attack could be with Diggs and Jones lined up together, he admitted it would be “near impossible” for the team to square up a trade for the Falcons wideout given his salary and the team’s lack of cap space.
“According to Spotrac, the Bills have $3.2 million in cap space currently,” he wrote. “Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane would have to do some big-time moving around of numbers if Jones was to be acquired. Included in that would be restructuring Jones’ contract as it carries a near $23M cap hit.”
Jones would bring a strong resume to any team on the receiving end of a trade. He has led the NFL in receiving yards three times, most recently in 2018, and has made seven Pro Bowl rosters and two All-Pro teams. He struggled in 2020, with injuries limiting him to just nine games and 771 yards on the season.
Julio Jones enjoyed more statistical success than *any* NFL receiver over a 6 yr period, while with Matt Ryan.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it. #Falcons
Jones Likely to Leave Atlanta
While it may be unlikely for Jones to end up in Buffalo next season, it looks increasingly likely that he will not be back in Atlanta. In a bombshell interview on FS1’s Undisputed, Jones publicly addressed the situation and said in no unclear terms that he was done with the Falcons.
“I’m outta there,” Jones told host Shannon Sharpe, via ESPN.
As the report noted, the unexpected interview made public the drama that had been unfolding behind the scenes in Atlanta. ESPN noted that the team had been working quietly since March to line up a trade after Jones requested one. The Falcons had been working to move him out of the conference, the report noted, though would have been willing to trade to an NFC team if the price were right.
Best fit for Julio Jones: New England or Tennesse?
It was not clear exactly what kind of return the Falcons could be seeking for Jones, but Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated speculated earlier this year that it would take a first-round pick — or potentially a high second-rounder — for a team seeking to land him.
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Bills Named as Contender to Land 7x Pro-Bowl Receiver