FLOWERY BRANCH — Julio Jones is paying early dividends after the Falcons made him the second-highest paid wide receiver in the league in July.
After Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant signed a five-year, $70 million deal, with $45 million guaranteed, Jones inked a five-year, $71.25 million extension, with $47 million guaranteed. Detroit’s Calvin Johnson is the top paid player at the position with a deal that averages $16.2 million per year.
Cincinnati’s A.J. Green later pushed Jones down to third-place when his deal averaged $15 million per year, but only $26.7 million of his contract was guaranteed.
Jones is off to a fast start with 22 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Jones has had 59 straight catches without a drop, going back to Week 12 of the last season, according to profootballfocus.com.
The Eagles and the Giants knew the Falcons would lean heavily on Jones, but left him in one-on-one coverage too often.
“I think moving him in different spots is also a factor,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “How do you place him to where he can get matched up in the right spot? Some of the ones that he got in the game (against the Giants) were based on a look. Those ones are a big part of it, too.”
Quinn is a big supporter of Jones, who won over the rookie head coach by how he quietly handled his contract negotiations.
“It’s just the competitor, and that’s honestly one of the things that I’ve most enjoyed about watching him come out and compete at practice,” Quinn said. “I love the style that he plays with, and when I think about guys that compete like he does.
“Those are some of the things that I love most about football. He certainly demonstrates that every time he’s on the field, whether it’s at practice or during a game.”
Quinn was also impressed by Jones’ leaping one-handed catch against the Giants.
“Sometimes when you’re a great player, you hear that you played great a lot,” Quinn said. “For him, he’s honestly on to the next thing. It’s his mindset. He probably wasn’t as surprised as some of us were.
“He looks at it like, there was no doubt I was going to catch it. Whereas, the rest of us might be like, ‘How did he possibly catch that?’ I think that happens sometimes with really unique players. It’s really the mindset that sets him apart from so many guys.”
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