Buccaneers a Favorite to Land 7-Time Pro Bowl Receiver

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a potential landing spot for one of the most accomplished receivers in the NFL.

According to Matt Severance of Sportsline, the Buccaneers are one of the top three teams who could land seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones. The 33-year-old remains a free agent following his release from the Tennessee Titans back in March.

As Severances notes, the Buccaneers have plus-500 odds of landing Jones. Based upon Sportsline’s betting odds, that gives the Buccaneers the third-best odds of landing the veteran receiver, right behind the Indianapolis Colts at plus-300 odds and the Green Bay Packers at plus-400 odds.

“The Tom Brady allure can never be overstated in Tampa, either. Jones could help fill in while Chris Godwin works his way back from his torn ACL,” says Severance. “There are reports out there that earlier this offseason Brady messaged Jones, ‘Come on down to the sunshine here in Tampa and let’s be great together.'”

The report that Severance is referencing is one cited by Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless back in March. The co-host of “Undisputed” mentions that Brady direct messaged Jones to recruit him to the Buccaneers.

“A source who knows Julio texted me that Julio got a DM yesterday from this guy who plays quarterback down in Tampa — this guy named Tom Brady,” Bayless said. “He was sliding into Julio’s DMs and the message effectively said, ‘hey, come on down to the sunshine in Tampa and let’s be great together.'”

The latest Bucs news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bucs newsletter here!

Jones Labored Through Worst Season of NFL Career

Jones spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons before he was traded to the Titans last offseason. While dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that eventually landed him on injured reserve, Jones struggled the worst season of his professional career.

The 11-year veteran posted career-lows across the board, producing 31 receptions for 434 yards and a touchdown last season.

While his baseline statistics were subpar, the advanced analytics paint a different picture. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones posted a 74.2 offensive grade in 2021. While that grade was drastically down compared to his 86.3 offensive grade from the 2020 season, it still ranked within the top 37 among all receivers in the league.

Why Jones Could Emerge as Option for Buccaneers

The allure of Jones signing with the Buccaneers isn’t hard to comprehend. As Severance mentions, Chris Godwin’s recovery from an ACL injury is a serious one. Secondly, Tampa Bay’s free agent signee, Russell Gage, figures better as a slot receiver than an outside one.

Gage is six-feet tall and weighs 184 pounds. While Gage played more of an outside receiver role in 2021 due to Calvin Ridley’s absence — 49.9% of snaps in the slot — he played at least 67% of the snaps in the slot during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

If Godwin doesn’t return by the start of the season, Jones could be penciled in as a fellow outside receiver lining up opposite of Mike Evans until Godwin’s recovery is complete. As head coach Todd Bowles mentioned at Bucs minicamp on Tuesday, May 17, there is no timetable regarding the former Pro Bowler’s return.

“When he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go. We don’t put a timetable on it,” Bowles said. “He’s coming along. Obviously, he’s better than where he was. But, he’s not where he needs to be. He’s coming along – he works hard.”

The uncertainty surrounding Godwin’s return combined with Tampa Bay’s lack of a viable starting-caliber receiver in his absence makes Jones an appealing option.

If Godwin’s recovery from injury is indeed slower than expected, the Bucs could realistically kick the tires on adding Jones prior to the start of the season.