On Tuesday, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms reported Julio Jones is eyeing the Patriots and Titans if he’s traded by the Falcons.
But, that doesn’t mean he believes the Patriots will be after the star wide receiver.
“For New England, I’d be like, ‘No, you don’t need Julio Jones, either,’ ” Simms said on PFT Live. “You have a ton of offense, and these are the guys that have blown up in their face. A.k.a. Mohamed Sanu or Chad Ochocinco — aging veterans where [Bill] Belichick might’ve had an affinity for at one point, but now he’s old and it’s dangerous and he’s breaking down. And that to me, this would be the ultimate, ‘Like New England, ooh, I don’t know if this is gonna work’ type move. So I don’t know if I buy that.”
Simms points out Jones’ age and injury history as being reasons the Patriots may not be interested.
“Julio Jones, could he help out the New England Patriots? Sure,” he said. “But to the way that we would envision it? And him being like a big 1,500-yard type receiver and being a staple in the offense? I just don’t see that happening with the way the Patriots are built right now, and Cam Newton at quarterback and everything like that.
“And you’ve got a quarterback who’s gonna take over in the future in Mac Jones. What are you gonna do, trade away future assets to hinder his ability to develop and all those things? What for one, two years maybe with Julio Jones? That’s where it doesn’t make sense.”
Jones played in just nine games last year due to a hamstring injury. If he’s traded, it will not be until after June 1 because that is when salary cap benefits kick in for the Falcons.