Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Brown was traded Sunday from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders.
All trades cannot become official until the new league’s business year starts at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The Falcons, like much of the NFL, were closely monitoring the situation as Brown’s renegotiated contract called for $54.1 million with $30.1 million guaranteed, to set a new bar for wide receivers.
Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones did not participate in offseason activities last season and settled on a contract adjustment before the start of training camp. The Falcons agreed to improving Jones' contract after it was adjusted on July 27, 2018.
“Julio Jones, not worried about it, still don’t have a timetable on that,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said recently at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We’re in a really good place with Julio. [When the season begins] we’ll be in a good place with him as well, as we have talked about in the offseason. We have other decisions to make, of course.”
Jones’ deal currently has two years remaining with the dynamic receiver scheduled to make $9.6 million in 2019 and $11.4 million in 2020. With Brown’s new deal averaging $18 million, the Falcons will likely have to double Jones’ base salary and grant a two or three-year extension to lessen the salary cap ramifications.
“You can get money from Julio because he’s kind of self-contained,” CBS Sports NFL business analyst Joel Corry said recently on 92.9 The Game. “Let’s say you make Julio Jones in terms of new money, tack on $60 million of new money over three years. You take his base salary down to the league minimum and give him a $20 million signing bonus. You can probably pick up for $4 million to $5 million in cap room depending on how you precisely structure it. There are ways to get cap room.”
The Chiefs have begun negotiations with wide receiver Tyreek Hill, which could be a “record-setting” deal according to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport.
The Falcons may not want to wait until Hill’s deal is completed.
“That why you want to do (Jones’ deal) sooner rather than later,” Corry said. “Jimmy Sexton (Jones’ agent) is no fool, so he’s probably going to wait until that deal gets done.”
New York Giant Odell Beckham Jr. is the only other receiver averaging $18 million a year.
“For the average standpoint of just the new money, what’s added into the contract, which may be three years, he may set the new standard of averaging yearly salary [of $20 million a year],” Corry said. “Then over five years, he’ll be under contract for a shade over $81 million, which if you look at the five years that make it seem not so outlandish compared to where other things are in the market.”
The Falcons have other pressing financial matters.
After placing the franchise tag of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and putting $15.209 million on their salary, the Falcons are $6.7 million under the $188.2 million salary cap and are not set to be major players when free agency starts. The Falcons will need $8 million for the incoming nine-member rookie class.
Completing Jarrett and Jones’ deals would give them some salary cap relief.
The Falcons also could restructure some current contracts or cut more players. The have already released cornerback Robert Alford and defensive end Brooks Reed and told kicker Matt Bryant that he would not be re-signed and cornerback Brian Poole that he won't receive a tender offer.
“I’m surprised Ryan Schraeder is still on the roster considering that he got benched at the end of the year,” Corry said. “That may be another way to get cap room.”
Schraeder is set to count for $7.7 million against the salary, which is high for a reserve.
FALCONS TOP 10 CAP NUMBERS FOR 2019
Matt Ryan, $22.8 million
Grady Jarrett, $15.2 million
Desmond Trufant, $13.9 million
Julio Jones, $13.4 million
Vic Beasley, $12.8 million
Jake Matthews, $11 million
Alex Mack, $11 million
Ryan Schraeder, $7.7 million
Mohamed Sanu, $7.6 million
Devonta Freeman, $6.7 million
