New England Patriots rumors: Trade for Julio Jones could re-shape AFC

A trade by the New England Patriots for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones could be the missing piece for the Patriots to contend again.

New rumors have surfaced about Jones‘ possible availability and several teams’ interest in the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

"“Among the teams that could fall into these categories: Ravens, 49ers, Patriots, Colts and Chargers,” Schultz speculated. “One league source said the Titans also may show interest, but they also are close to the cap ceiling.”"

Jones is a terrific wide receiver. The Patriots at present do not have a terrific wide receiver and haven’t since the 2019 version of Julian Edelman.

They have not really done much to remedy that situation. They signed two NFL-worthy wide receivers in Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

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Yet, unless one or both has an explosion of production they are essentially 50+ catch receivers. That’s good, but not what the Patriots need at this point, which is great.

Julio Jones could make the New England Patriots contenders

Let’s face facts, the 2020 version of the New England Patriots post-No. 12 was not good.

In 2020, they fell behind former also-rans Buffalo (now a very good operation with a great young coach by the way) and Miami with a former Patriots de facto defensive coordinator (without the title and maybe the dough? Odd.) now running the show.

In this very good offseason, the team has made a statement. We are not happy (thanks once more, Mr. Kraft) and have been very aggressive as Tom Curran asserted early in their off-season moves. Great.

Yet, this team remains deficient in one major commodity, a great No. 1 wide receiver. Even with the signings of Agholor and Bourne, they still fall short, way short.

Get Jones and it remedies that situation. If this is in fact a redemption year for the team and more poignantly their football majordomo, Bill Belichick, then this is the move to make.

After allowing his most prized possession to flee the coop, Belichick went down the proverbial NFL tubes last season and failed his first post TB test. He flunked as they say.

Brady won the Super Bowl. Belichick didn’t even make it into the tournament. Ouch!

So, with a massive infusion of Mr. Bob Kraft’s money, and a draft that has great promise, if not immediate dividends, Belichick needs a score.

Another losing season, while old Tampa Tom brings it again, will relegate his reputation to a Pro Football Hall of Famer, with an asterisk. That asterisk being Mr. Brady.

Belichick’s ego perhaps cost him his all-time player. Now, after a year of humiliation, his ego should bring him to make the requisite moves to make the Patriots “relevant” again.

And the move to make right now, at this time is to trade for Julio Jones. Jones may very well bring the Patriots back to the relevance that Belichick craves.

It has been written before in these pages that Jones would be the Patriots’ No. 1 receiver. Belichick doesn’t have one. If you have Tom Brady, maybe you didn’t need one. But he now doesn’t have that player. So it’s clear now, he needs one.

So, in conclusion, let’s just say the New England Patriots without a true No. 1 receiver could very well be a very good AFC team. They may be a very, very good AFC team. However, with a true No. 1 receiver, they could perhaps actually advance deep into the playoffs.

What is it worth to make that advance this season to Belichick? Is it worth a number two pick in 2022? I’d say that’s an easy decision. Yes! Who cares about 2022. The future in the NFL is always, now.

Next. Why Rhamondre Stevenson is a player worth rooting for. dark

Bill, make the deal. Throw in a player or two to boot if you have to. Whatever. This is the time to show the NFL that Brady was the best, but so are you.

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