Getty The Seahawks could shake up the NFL.
The Seattle Seahawks continue to be linked to Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones who appears to be on the verge of being traded. The question is where Jones will land and if the Seahawks are willing to pay the price for a position where the team already has two top-tier receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that the Seahawks have had talks with the Falcons about Jones, but the star receiver’s contract “is an obvious roadblock” for Seattle. Jones is set to have a $15.3 million salary this season as part of a three-year, $66 million deal that runs through 2023.
“The Seahawks have looked into a possible trade for Julio Jones, as @diannaESPN said,” Henderson tweeted. “My understanding: they were doing their usual due diligence. Jones’ contract is an obvious roadblock. It would presumably take Atlanta eating some salary as Houston did with Jadeveon Clowney.”
Wilson Has Been in Communication with Jones About Teaming up in Seattle
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that Russell Wilson has been in conversation with Jones for a couple of weeks discussing the idea of getting him in a Seahawks uniform. This echoes what ESPN’s Dianna Russini originally reported indicating Wilson is pushing for the Seahawks to add the receiver.
“The Falcons continue to field calls from teams interested in trading for Julio Jones,” Russini detailed on Twitter. “The Seahawks have had discussions about a possible trade with Atlanta, per sources. In fact, QB Russell Wilson & Julio Jones have spoken to discuss the possibility of playing together.”
From Antonio Brown to Josh Gordon, Wilson has not been shy in recent years about pushing for more offensive firepower. So far this offseason, the Seahawks signed tight end Gerald Everett away from the Rams and used their first available draft pick to select receiver D’Wayne Eskridge. Last offseason, Wilson pushed the Seahawks to add more “superstars.”
“I think we need a couple more [players],” Wilson told ESPN during the 2020 Pro Bowl week. “I think we need a couple more. …Then also on offense, we have a great offense, but I think we can always add more pieces. I think that’s going to be the part that’s going to be great with John Schneider and Pete [Carroll], as well, in terms of this offseason’s free agency. Free agency is very, very key to getting those superstars on your team and try to get great players that can fill the space.”
Jones Landing with the Seahawks Depends on the Asking Price & Potential of a Restructured Contract
The chances of this moving from a rumor into a viable opportunity for the Seahawks depend on two key factors. First, is the Falcons’ asking price which Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported has been a first-round pick.
If the Falcons received an offer with a first-rounder, chances are Jones would already have been moved. As Henderson indicated, the other key factor for the Seahawks is Jones’ willingness to restructure his current deal. According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, the Falcons will likely end up accepting a second-round pick in exchange for Jones.
“I was told a while ago by a source I trust that the Falcons would accept a hard second-round pick in 2022 (no condition on Jones’ playing time) with no responsibility to pay Jones any of the $38 million he has coming,” King detailed. “That seems like the most logical outcome, and my guess is a hard second-rounder is already on the table from some team.”