Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones reached an agreement with the team to make an “adjustment” to his contract and will report to training camp by today’s 4 p.m. deadline.
Here’s a look back at Jones’ bizarre offseason:
March 27 – Falcons coach Dan Quinn discussed how he was looking forward to having Jones this offseason. After foot surgery, Jones missed the 2017 offseason. Quinn noted that Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan would work on their timing, which was off last season. Ryan tossed only two touchdown passes to Jones last season.
April 1 – Team Julio faced Team Huncho, which was coached by rapper 2Chainz, in charity football game at Berkmar High School. The normally media-friendly Jones declined interviews.
April 16 – Falcons start their offseason program and Jones is a no-show. The first sign that something was brewing after the shifting wide receiver market in free agency.
April 19 – Jones works out with former NFL receiver Terrell Owens in California. Team is concerned about the influence that Owens, who was a self-centered teammate as a player, may have over Jones.
April 22 – Jones scrubs his social media accounts which led to widespread panic throughout Falcon nation. Does he want to be traded?
May 22 – Falcons start organized team activities and Jones is a no-show. Quinn said he expected Jones to be available for the mandatory minicamp. "I know the topic of Mr. Julio Jones is on a number of people's mind," Quinn said after the second organized team activity (OTA). "I want to let you know that Julio and I speak regularly. I was fully aware that he wasn't going to be here for the start of the offseason program."
May 22 – While Quinn was talking in Flowery Branch, the AJC's Tim Tucker caught up to Falcons owner Arthur Blank at the NFL Owner's meeting in Buckhead. "It's just a process we have to go through," Blank said. After the meeting, Blank discussed Jones' situation: "As I said about Matt Ryan, how I wanted him to be our quarterback for his entire career, Julio Jones will be our receiver for his entire career," Blank said. "This is just a normal kind of discussion that takes place. We'll deal with it. We have an excellent relationship with him. It's great."
May 27 – TMZ caught up to Jones in California. He tells the fawning "reporter" that he plans to be a Falcon for life. "I'm not going anywhere," Jones said. "I love the team, I love the organization, I love everybody there. We're good."
June 11 – Falcons announce that Jones will not attend the team's mandatory minicamp. He didn't attend the three-day camp and could be fined nearly $85,000 per the collective bargaining agreement.
June 12 – Video surfaces of Jones working out with Owens.
June 14 – At the end of the minicamp, Quinn expressed confidence that Jones' deal would get done before training camp. He declared that the offseason program was a rousing success even without Jones on board.
June 21 – Joel Corry of CBSSports tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Falcons will likely make a minor adjustment to Jones' contract.
June 21 – Jones is named fourth on the NFL Network's Top 100 players of 2018.
June 26 – Jones reacts to Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown being rated higher. Jones posted a photo on his Instagram with the caption, "Congrats! Now one of us got to get that #1."
July 16 – Jones attends passing camp workout with Ryan and 10 other receivers in California.
July 19 – It was learned that Jones was told that he would not be getting a new contract at the conclusion of the mandatory minicamp. The Falcons have not budgeted for a renegotiation this offseason and are focused on contract extensions for Grady Jarrett, Jake Matthews and Ricardo Allen.
July 24 – Reports surface that Jones plans to hold out.
July 25 – Talks intensify and team reached an agreement to make an "adjustment" to Jones' contract. At 11:57 a.m. the team announces that Jones will report for training camp. Jones received a $3 million adjustment to his contract, a source told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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