ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio believes the Ravens’ focus entering the 2021 NFL Draft should be giving star quarterback Lamar Jackson every opportunity to take the next step in his development, and the longtime NFL reporter thinks trading for Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones is a real possibility as part of that quest.
Jones, who turned 32 in February, has played the past 10 years in Atlanta, which is reportedly exploring dealing the franchise icon. His 12,896 receiving yards are the most in Falcons history, as are his 848 catches. His 60 touchdown catches are second behind Roddy White. Jones played just nine games last year due to a hamstring injury, but he played at least 14 games in each of the six seasons prior to 2020.
Jones is under contract through 2023. His 2021 salary ($15.3 million) is fully guaranteed, and $2 million of his 2022 salary became guaranteed in March. The Ravens are currently about $15 million under the salary cap, according to Russell Street Report, but they will eventually have to fit in their rookie class as well. A team trading for Jones could convert most of his 2021 salary to a signing bonus to free up some room.
It’s not clear whether Atlanta would be open to trading Jones during the draft. It would behoove the Falcons, cap-wise, to move him after June 1. But Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter said April 27 that the Falcons have made trades in the past before June 1 that were nevertheless designated as post-June 1 moves, meaning 2021 draft picks could be involved.
The Ravens are monitoring the Jones situation, according to Paolantonio.
“They’re always on the phones,” Paolantonio said on Glenn Clark Radio April 28. “When I had a conversation with a member of the Ravens organization about a week ago, that member of the organization brought up the fact that Atlanta was trying to trade Julio Jones, so they’re well aware of the situation and they’re assessing. There’s no question about it.”
It’s unclear what it will take to land Jones. Paolantonio said he heard the San Francisco 49ers, who are expected to add a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft April 29, are interested in Jones. Paolantonio also mentioned that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Philadelphia Eagles were interested as well.
Big-time receivers were dealt each of the past two offseasons. Last March, the Minnesota Vikings traded Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for four draft picks, including the Bills’ 2020 first-rounder. Diggs was dealt away entering his age-26 season and had four years left on his contract. Two years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders for 2019 third- and fifth-round picks. Brown was dealt away entering his age-31 season and signed a new contract upon being traded.
Paolantonio, who called the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Jones a polished, tough, experienced and savvy receiver, said he’d be willing to give up the No. 31 overall pick for Jones. He thinks Jones would be receptive to being dealt to the Ravens, too.
“To me if I’m Julio Jones, I want to go to Baltimore,” Paolantonio said. “It’s a great town, a great organization. You’ve got a dynamic young quarterback. You’ve got the best running game in the league. If I were Julio Jones, I’d be pushing my agent to make that happen, for sure. And if it’s the 31st pick, yes. To me, whatever you can do this year to get Lamar Jackson to the next step — and I’m talking about championship game/Super Bowl, for sure.”
Putting Jackson in an environment where he can lift his team to the Super Bowl in the last year of his rookie deal is the primary challenge the Ravens face entering the draft, according to Paolantonio. One way to do that is to get Jackson a big-bodied wide receiver who commands double teams, controls the middle of the field and has reliable hands. Another way to do that is to tweak the offensive scheme.
Paolantonio, the host of ESPN’s “NFL Matchup,” says defenses “squeeze the field” against Jackson and force him to make throws to the outside, which is not his strength. Ravens coaches have to figure out ways to help Jackson improve on third down and in the red zone during the playoffs, according to Paolantonio.
“To just tweak and take that next step, maybe you need Julio Jones,” Paolantonio said. “Maybe you need to redesign some of the passing game on the critical down and distance in the postseason, and that’s up to the coaches and the front office to really help Lamar Jackson. I for one believe that Lamar Jackson will win a Super Bowl for the Ravens if they do those things.”
Paolantonio addressed the following topics as well …
On whether there is a first-round receiver the Ravens should trade up for:
“I think the Ravens need a big body who can control the middle of the field, catches everything and that you must double team, and I don’t think either Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith fit that description at all, and I don’t think it’s worth two first-round picks to go up and get either one of them. When you’re at 27 — and the Ravens are so good at this — you don’t draft for need because then you’re going to need a new job eventually. You stay true to your board and you figure out who’s going to be at that position talent-wise and where they slot in value-wise. And then if it doesn’t fit and you’ve got a specific need, then you move back and you hope that you get that player. But I think that they’re going to get a great player at 27 that’s going to help them.”
On whether any of the first-round edge rushers would fit for the Ravens:
“I think maybe Kwity Paye of Michigan. I like his ferocity. I like the way he is a very pliable player. He looks like he has good get-off-the-ball speed. I’m not worried about his strength at all. I think he can build that up in an NFL training regimen. … I just like his pedigree. Everything about him suggests to me he’s very hungry and wants to make it big in the NFL. I don’t know if he’ll be there at 27. I just don’t think he probably will. He may be worth going up and getting, but you’re not packaging two firsts to do that. That’s the only one that really stands out.”
On what he considers a need for the Ravens even though most don’t:
“Get another running back. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did it. This team runs the ball more than anybody else — 55 percent of the time they had run plays called. Mark Ingram’s gone. J.K. Dobbins got a little banged up, as rookies normally do. You’re going to get hurt in the running game, and now you’ve added an extra game to the season. You’ve got to absolutely get another back because you play heavy all the time.”
For more Paolantonio, listen to the full interview here:
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