New England Patriots rumors: Mac Jones to Julio Jones has a ring to it

Could Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots pull another rabbit out of the hat this offseason by trading for Atlanta Falcons star receiver Julio Jones?

Well, that rumor has been out there the last few seasons, but if there is a time to actually make that happen, it would be after June 1 when the cap strapped Atlanta Falcons will have to make some tough decisions about a few of their players, including Jones.

With young receiver Calvin Ridley more than primed to take on that No. 1 receiver role, along with the drafting of tight end Kyle Pitts, who is more like a big receiver, the time may be now for new Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot to see what he can get for the 32-year-old receiver while relieving some cap space.

In the nature of the business, Julio Jones could be the cap casualty the Falcons can no longer avoid. So, are they entertaining calls from other teams?

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"“The answer to that is just pointing to the cap and pointing to the fact that we’ll answer calls on any players,” Fontenot said last month, via ESPN. “When teams ask about players, we have to answer those calls and we have to listen because we do have to, we knew when we stepped into this, we were going to have to make some tough decisions because it is just the reality of it.”"

The New England Patriots are in good position to land Julio Jones

With Jones still at the top of the list when it comes to receivers, any move involving the star won’t be performance driven, but unless the current Falcons star is willing to restructure, the team may not have any other option than to entertain a deal.

But the question is, will they ship Jones to the New England Patriots if Bill Belichick came calling?

Well, according to ESPN writer Michael Rothstein, the Patriots are one of the few teams that make sense as far as need and cap space:

"“With around $16.5 million in cap space, the Patriots would have the room to make a deal. Bill Belichick has shown no concerns going after top players this offseason in free agency, and he has made trades to acquire players – particularly wide receivers. Remember, this is a franchise that traded for Randy Moss and Wes Welker in 2007 and Brandin Cooks in 2017. Plus, Belichick made a move for Corey Dillon in 2004. So the Patriots have made moves for playmakers in the past. While New England did sign Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in free agency, Jones is another class of receiver and would give veteran Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones a high-level target every down.”"

With Julian Edelman retiring, acquire Julio Jones or any veteran top-level receiver who should become available is the next move many are expecting Bill Belichick to make.

Although it appears to be Cam Newton’s job to lose, a receiver like Jones could help in the development of Mac Jones, even if he doesn’t win the job sooner than expected.

A 2022 first-round pick for Julio Jones?

In drafting their potential franchise quarterback this year, Belichick could afford to part with a first-round pick if he believes the Falcons star has a few more years left.

Along with the tight end tandem of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, adding Jones to the mix would certainly elevate the Patriots on the offensive side of the ball, even if Cam Newton is under center…at least to start the season.

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And if the rookie shows he is ready now, surrounding him with as much talent as possible could actually lead the veteran star to Foxboro.

Mac Jones to Julio Jones certainly has a nice ring to it.

The best part is, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

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