Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones moved five years closer to becoming a Falcon for life.
He reached an agreement on a five-year contract, reportedly worth $71.25 million with $47 million guaranteed, the team announced shortly before facing the Miami Dolphins on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium.
“We could not be more thrilled to make Julio a Falcon for life,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said. “Julio has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL during his career.”
Jones and the Falcons wanted to reach an agreement before the start of the regular season.
“He has already set the franchise record for receiving yards in a season,” Blank said. “I am extremely proud of what he has accomplished. He has just begun to scratch the surface in terms of his potential.”
The Falcons acquired Jones with the sixth pick of the 2011 draft after trading five picks to the Cleveland Browns to move up from the 27th spot.
Jones, 26, has been spectacular for the Falcons. He made the Pro Bowl after the 2012 and 2014 seasons.
Last season, he caught 104 passes for 1,536 yards and six touchdowns. He missed much of the 2013 season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot. He also had foot surgery before the draft in 2011, but the Falcons said they were not concerned about the long-term outlook of Jones’ foot.
In the offseason, the market for Jones was set when Dallas and Denver reached deals with wide receivers Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas.
Jones’ contract slightly exceeds both of those deals. Bryant signed a five-year deal worth $70 million, with $45 million guaranteed. Thomas, who starred at Georgia Tech, also signed a five-year deal worth $70 million, with $43.5 million guaranteed.
The Falcons have made a practice of not allowing some star players to enter the last year of their contract. They have either granted an extension or released the player.
Quarterback Matt Ryan’s six-year, $103 million contract extension was completed before the start of camp in 2013. The Falcons reached extensions with Roddy White before he entered the final year of his past two contracts.
However, they released running back Michael Turner and wide receiver Harry Douglas before they could enter the final year of their contracts.
Jones was scheduled to play the 2015 season under his fully guaranteed $10.176 million option-year salary.
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