Highly touted wide receiver Julio Jones won't be joining the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until he receives a new contract with the team.
Jones who was drafted as the sixth overall of the 2011 NFL Draft signed a five-year extension with the Falcons worth $71.25 million in August of 2015. The 29-year-old superstar will be entering the third year of his contract extension, which pays him $14.25 per season. According to Spotrac, Jones is the ninth top earner among receivers in 2018.
However, the seven-year veteran believes that he is worth more than he is paid for. Currently, Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the highest paid among wideouts at $17 million a season, which is $2.7 million more than Jones.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank wants to work out a new deal with Jones as he hopes that the wide receiver will remain in Atlanta for the rest of his career. As per the collective bargaining agreement, the team have the choice to fine Jones up to $40,000 for each day missed during the training camp period.
"I have full faith in TD [general manager Thomas Dimitroff] and DQ [coach Dan Quinn] to handle this in the best manner that is feasible for us. We love Julio, and I have said our wishes are that he be a Falcon for life. As always, I am available to our staff as needed and at appropriate times," Blank expressed.
Is Jones Worth The Extension?
Earlier this offseason, Jones made noise when he deleted all the Falcon-related posts on his Instagram account, but Dimitroff clarified that the Falcons and Jones were in a great spot. Atlanta's training camp will begin on Wednesday before the team holds its first practice on Thursday.
Jones has been doing wonders for the Falcons in the past few years by hitting the 1,100-yard mark in five of his last six seasons with the team. After suffering from a fractured foot in 2013, Jones returned to his top form as he tallied 1,400-plus yards in each of the last four years since.
The Falcons star took his game into another level in the 2015 season when he recorded a league-best of 1,871. Just last year, Jones registered 88 catches on top of 1,444 yards to go along with three touchdowns.
Atlanta is likely to rework Jones' deal after the 2018 season due to budget concerns. During this offseason, the Falcons secured Matt Ryan after signing the quarterback into a five-year $150 million extension. Prior to re-signing with the Falcons, Ryan was entering the final year of his previous contract.
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