The prospect of a trade involving wide receiver Julio Jones after June 1 has come up this offseason and the Falcons aren’t saying it is off the table, which could make for an interesting couple of weeks in Atlanta.
If a trade does go down, it would mean quarterback Matt Ryan has to adjust to playing a season without Jones for the first time since 2010. Ryan said “I don’t know” during a Tuesday press conference when asked about what the offense would look like without Jones, but he knows it would have a major effect on how he operates in 2021.
“He’s probably impacted my career more significantly than any other player,” Ryan said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
With Calvin Ridley, first-round pick Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst, and Russell Gage on hand, Ryan would still have places to go with the ball should Jones move on to another team. That might make it easier for the Falcons to move forward with a deal, although Jones’ contract will remain an obstacle if it isn’t reworked one way or another.