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ATLANTA (AP) Choked by wage caps, the Atlanta Falcons will not offer Julio Jones a more lucrative contract.
Not this year, at least.
Now the question is: did the star receiver
The Falcons inform Jones a few weeks ago that they would not renegotiate his current $ 71.5 million package, which still has three years and that includes $ 47 million guaranteed, according to someone who is familiar with the discussions. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Thursday because the discussions were not made public.
The team's decision, which was reported by The Athletic, does not rule out negotiations after the season on a deal anymore Jones' status as one of the best receivers of the NFL. But the Falcons do not believe that they have enough financial leeway under the cap to renegotiate the contract in 2018.
The team is not told if Jones will be at the training camp. Players are required to show up next Thursday, with the first practice session the next day
Atlanta has already agreed to a $ 150 million extension with quarterback Matt Ryan, the most lucrative in the history of the NFL. The team is also focused on developing new contracts for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, offensive guard Jake Matthews and safety Ricardo Allen.
A series of new contracts in the offseason caused Jones, who averaged 14.25, to earn the top half-dozen on the league's highest paid list. Tampa Bay 's Mike Evans, Cleveland' s Jarvis Landry and Kansas City 's Sammy Watkins are among those earning more money than Jones, a two – time All – Pro who caught 88 pbades for 1,444 yards last season.
One of the most beautiful seasons of a catcher with 136 receptions for 1,871 yards and eight touchdowns. It is a Pro Bowler five times
. An apparent sign of his misfortune, Jones skipped workout sessions organized by the team at the team's training facility this summer, as well as a minicamp mandatory. But he apparently took part in Ryan's private camp in California with about a dozen of his teammates this month.
Jones has been silent on social media and has not spoken with the Atlanta media for months. In one of his rare appearances in the media, he told TMZ that he had good relations with the franchise, which earned him a huge exchange with Cleveland to make it a first-round pick in 2011.
There is no story to tell, "insisted Jones." I'm just working on improving it. I'm just working on myself now. That's all that is. There is no bad blood between me and the team or something like that. "
Jones stays in the good graces of coach Dan Quinn, who did not seem upset at all when Jones jumped the minicamp." Business intersects, "Quinn said. "It's OK and it happens often."
Quinn has always talked about "fraternity" and making sure the players do everything in teams. For example, players competed as the team on the sideline during the national anthem for all matches after two players knelt in protest at the start of the 2017 season. [19659002] Quinn does not think that the absence of Jones has affected the Falcons' unity.
"Do we want everyone here all the time? Hell yes, like all the time," said the coach. "What I would say is that if you ask a man, this guy is a teammate, and the time he's spending here, the way he frames people, how much he's playing, there is a lot of fraternity in Julio. "
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