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Falcons receiver Julio Jones did not appear to be promising to play Sunday in Minnesota in the opening game of the season if his contract was not extended.
"I do not know," said Jones when asked if he would play anyway. "What I'm trying to do is to be ready. You know what I mean. It's not if I'm going to play or if I'm not going to play. I'm trying to be there anyway. I come back from injuries, etc., but the ultimate goal is to be ready when my number is called. "
Jones, who wore two different shoes, worked at less than half the speed during the first part of the practice. He was not listed on the injury report on Wednesday.
"Today, I was a little uncomfortable to be on the ground, among other things," Jones said. "From now on, everything is good."
The Falcons hope to have his agreement before the start of the season. The Falcons play at the Vikings at 1 pm. Sunday at the US bank stadium.
Jones has not heard from his agent Jimmy Sexton.
"When things have changed, it will come back to me," Jones said. "I'm at work, so I do not know. When I'm at work, I'm not on the phone all day long. When I get here at 6:15 or 6:45, I'm at work. So, after work, if he calls me or anything, we'll touch the basics if he needs to talk to me. Otherwise, I stay focused and do what I have to do. "
The team is currently working on an extension for Jones, 30, a six-time Pro Bowler who is poised to break the franchise's record in career-winning yards.
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The market for large receivers changed when the Saints signed a $ 96.25 million five-year contract with Michael Thomas that could exceed the $ 100 million mark. Thomas, 26, a second-round pick in Ohio in 2016, has three 1,000-yard seasons to start his career and was an All-Pro player last season.
It was projected that Jones' deal would be a three-year deal valued at $ 51.8 million, of which 33 million guaranteed at signing, according to Spotrac. Jones' agreement is still two years old and is expected to bring in $ 9.6 million in 2019 and $ 11.4 million in 2020.
The Falcons wanted to have an agreement in place before the first match.
"It's our goal and goal also to do it before the start of the season," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on August 26.
Jones was invited more directly, if an extension is not made by Sunday, is there a chance he is not playing.
"No, it's like I'm getting ready to leave, you know what I mean," said Jones. "Whatever decisions (made by Dan Quinn) or anyone else, the organization and I make this decision in a timely manner, we take it. It's not like he will play or play. We do everything we can. "
Would it be fair to say, "Julio has the intention to play."
"You can go," Jones said.
Blank said Jones would be a "Falcon for life".
Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Brown was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason. As this relationship had a difficult start, the Falcons, like much of the NFL, watched the situation closely. Brown's renegotiated contract provided for a $ 54.1 million contract, with $ 30.1 million guaranteed, to temporarily set a new bar.
Jones did not participate in off-season activities in 2018 and decided on a contract adjustment before the start of the training camp. The Falcon agreed to improve Jones' contract after it was adjusted on July 27, 2018.
Joel Corry, Business Analyst at CBS Sports NFL, predicted that Jones' deal would cost $ 60 million in new money over three years.
"You are cutting his base salary to a minimum of the league and giving him a signing bonus of $ 20 million," said Corry.
Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham is the only other receiver averaging $ 18 million a year.
When the deal is finalized with Jones, the Falcons will have completed a busy year as the team developed contract extensions with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Deion Jones this season.
The Falcons would have restructured the agreements between Jake Matthews and Ricardo Allen. The Falcons also released cornerback Robert Alford, right tackle Ryan Schraeder and halfback Brooks Reed. They did not use Brian Poole to reduce costs. The team released kicker Matt Bryant, but ended up signing him again when his replacement was not up to it.
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