NY Jets listed as possible landing spot for Julio Jones

The NY Jets were recently listed as a possible landing spot for Julio Jones.

The NY Jets are set for an offseason that promises to feature organizational overhaul from the coaching staff to the roster and everything in between.

And after a quiet offseason a year ago, general manager Joe Douglas will likely be a bit more aggressive as he looks to reshape the team to his liking. Don’t expect that to be limited to the 2021 NFL Draft and free agency though.

Douglas will likely do his part in exploring the trade market over the next few months. And one name that’s sure to garner plenty of interest is Atlanta Falcons’ superstar wide receiver, Julio Jones.

Despite missing a handful of games in 2020, Jones remains one of the best wide receivers in football. He’ll be 32-years-old in February, but the seven-time Pro Bowler hauled in 1,300+ receiving yards in each of the last six seasons prior to his injury-riddled 2020 campaign.

Jones is still an elite receiver, but the Falcons face a crossroads this offseason. With Atlanta perhaps looking to undergo somewhat of an organizational reset, there have been rumors that the team could look to move Jones in the offseason.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier in the week that Jones has been “discussed” as a possible trade piece. And there’s been speculation that the Jets could look to make a move.

Bleacher Report’s Tyler Brooke listed the Jets as one of five possible landing spots for Jones if the Falcons do decide to move the superstar wideout in the offseason. On the surface, this makes some degree of sense.

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The NY Jets make sense as a landing spot for Julio Jones

The Jets will be looking to upgrade the wide receiver position in the offseason and there are few better ways to upgrade the position than by acquiring a player as talented as Jones.

While free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft are expected to boast an abundance of excellent options, Jones could be an additional target on the trade market.

Of course, there are some concerns to consider. Jones will turn 32-years-old in February and has been limited to nine games in 2020 due to a nagging hamstring injury. On top of that, he’s essentially locked into his contract until after the 2022 season.

Jones is due $23 million in 2021 and $19 million in 2022 without a realistic possibility for an out. The team would have a potential out after 2022, but releasing him would still come with a dead cap charge of over $7 million.

Essentially, if his play declines or things go south, there’s no way out.

But there’s no real reason to suspect Jones’ play will tail off any time soon. Even at age 31, it’s clear that the former Alabama star is one of the most talented and productive receivers in the game.

On games this season where he played at least 80 percent of offensive snaps, Jones averaged seven catches and over 115 yards per game. His production hasn’t decreased, he’s just dealt with a nagging injury.

A starting trio of Jones, Denzel Mims, and Jamison Crowder certainly sounds intriguing no matter who the Jets roll with at quarterback in 2021.

Brooke suggested a potential package involving the Jets’ second first-round pick in 2020. While it would likely take a little more to get a deal done, that would certainly be a worthy starting point.

The Jets will likely explore other options when it comes to addressing the wide receiver position this offseason. But the NFL offseason is always an unpredictable time — you never really know what could happen.