Post by Guvmintcheeze on Jul 30, 2015 18:48:36 GMT
Julio Jones working on long-term deal with Falcons
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, who reported to training camp Thursday, said his agent and the team have started negotiations toward a new long-term contract.
Jones has one year left on his deal and is scheduled to make $10.176 million this season. Fellow receivers Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas recently received five year, $70 million contracts that included more than $40 million guaranteed.
Jones was asked if a new deal could be reached soon.
"I don't know," he said. "I haven't talked to (the Falcons). My agent (Jimmy Sexton) and the Falcons obviously have been talking. I haven't been talking. I talked to DQ (coach Dan Quinn) earlier. Me and him are on the same page. He just needs me to be the leader I am and to continue to keep working hard and take care of what I can take care of."
Jones participated in all offseason activities and vowed not to being a training camp holdout. He's coming off a franchise-record setting 1,593 receiving yards last season on a career-high 104 receptions. He accomplished the feat despite missing one game with an oblique injury. Detroit's Calvin Johnson is the highest paid receiver in the league at $16.2 million per year. Veteran Falcons receiver Roddy White would like Jones to reach that mark, or at least close to it.
"I want my dog to get as much money as he can get," White said of Jones. "You know me. I want him to get $17 million per year."
Getting an extension done with a star player before training camp wouldn't be new for the Falcons. Quarterback Matt Ryan agreed to a five-year, $103.75 million extension on July 25, 2013, the same day training camp started. And last year, White signed an extension through 2017 (worth $18 million) on July 25, the day training camp began
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, who reported to training camp Thursday, said his agent and the team have started negotiations toward a new long-term contract.
Jones has one year left on his deal and is scheduled to make $10.176 million this season. Fellow receivers Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas recently received five year, $70 million contracts that included more than $40 million guaranteed.
Jones was asked if a new deal could be reached soon.
"I don't know," he said. "I haven't talked to (the Falcons). My agent (Jimmy Sexton) and the Falcons obviously have been talking. I haven't been talking. I talked to DQ (coach Dan Quinn) earlier. Me and him are on the same page. He just needs me to be the leader I am and to continue to keep working hard and take care of what I can take care of."
Jones participated in all offseason activities and vowed not to being a training camp holdout. He's coming off a franchise-record setting 1,593 receiving yards last season on a career-high 104 receptions. He accomplished the feat despite missing one game with an oblique injury. Detroit's Calvin Johnson is the highest paid receiver in the league at $16.2 million per year. Veteran Falcons receiver Roddy White would like Jones to reach that mark, or at least close to it.
"I want my dog to get as much money as he can get," White said of Jones. "You know me. I want him to get $17 million per year."
Getting an extension done with a star player before training camp wouldn't be new for the Falcons. Quarterback Matt Ryan agreed to a five-year, $103.75 million extension on July 25, 2013, the same day training camp started. And last year, White signed an extension through 2017 (worth $18 million) on July 25, the day training camp began