New England Patriots rumors: Why Julio Jones isn’t worth a 1st round pick

One thing is crystal clear when it comes to Julio Jones. There is no way he plays for the Atlanta Falcons next season. Does this mean the talented wideout could become the newest member of the New England Patriots? Not exactly.

Jones made an appearance on Undisputed when Shannon Sharpe decided to give him a call. While we might never know if Jones knew that he was live on television, we know how he feels about Atlanta. He’s basically as good as gone.

After Jones’ comments soon came reports that the Falcons were asking for a first-round pick. While for some that might seem like a worthy price but it’s far from a bargain.

Now the 32-year-old has had quite the career. He is an All-Pro receiver who has been to seven Pro Bowls. In his 10 year career, Jones has racked up nearly 850 catches and 13,000 yards along with 60 touchdowns.

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After how much New England struggled passing the ball, that has Patriots fans ready to pay whatever price it takes to get Jones. He would instantly improve the overall talent of the position and make life a lot easier for Cam Newton. With it also being reported that Jones wants to play with Newton, the Patriots are one of the favorites to land the wideout.

Why Julio Jones isn’t worth a first-round pick to the New England Patriots

When it comes to the Patriots plan for the future there isn’t a reason to acquire Jones. That’s especially the case if you have to give up a first-round pick.

New England is in a transition phase. They need to invest their money in young talent not aging skill players. If this was Jones 2-3 years ago there should be no hesitation, but at the age of 32, Jones does New England no good.

Now some fans can remember when Randy Moss came to the Patriots and linked up with Tom Brady. The duo had a record-breaking season and got all the way to the Super Bowl without suffering a loss but were unable to topple the Giants in the big game. While a move to acquire Jones might be compared to that decision it’s an apple to oranges situation.

First off, Moss is one of the best wideouts in NFL history. While Jones has had an amazing career, Moss is in a whole other stratosphere. Also even if the Patriots get Jones this offseason, there is no way that they get to the Super Bowl.

So if you are going to come up short no matter what, why waste a first-round pick. Use that pick in the upcoming draft to secure even more young talent.

Jones won’t make the Patriots contenders so he is far from worth a first-round pick. New England needs to be smart when it comes to building their roster and sending away a high draft pick seems rather dumb at the moment.