Falcons-Titans Julio Jones Trade: Outcome, draft picks, and more

Turn back the clock about a year, and the Falcons look like a much different team than the present version. The most notable difference comes in the form of the greatest receiver in franchise history—Julio Jones.

When Jones forced his way out of Atlanta last Spring, the Falcons were left to pick up the pieces and salvage what they could, getting second and fourth-round picks for the veteran receiver. For the Titans, it seems Jones wasn’t the missing the piece. Tennessee could not advance in the playoffs this year (similarly to the last), losing at home after their first round bye.

Jones finished with six catches and 62 yards in the AFC Divisional round loss to the Bengals. The former superstar receiver has dealt with nagging injuries the past couple of seasons, and his first season after departing Atlanta was no different. Jones had the worst statistical season of his career, totaling 31 receptions for 434 yards and only one touchdown. Those numbers are even worse than his 2013 campaign, where he only played in five games.

In the last eight weeks of the regular season, Julio had ten receptions for 98 yards in four games while not playing in the other four. That production certainly wasn’t game changing for the Titans, but the hope was that they could get him healthy before the playoffs and that something would finally click.

To a certain extent, it worked. Jones was productive in the playoff game against Cincinnati, but Ryan Tannehill struggled with interceptions and ultimately held the team back.

When the Titans acquired Jones for a second and fourth-round pick, many across the league felt Tennessee got away with murder. Well, in hindsight, it seems the Falcons may have sold at the right time, even if it wasn’t their decision. I’m sure the Titans would go back and rescind the offer because Jones wasn’t anywhere close to being worth two draft picks this season. With Tennessee losing to the Bengals, that 2022 second-round pick was locked in at the 58th overall slot, and the Falcons were the beneficiaries. Improving your draft position by a couple of slots in the second round isn’t going to make a huge difference, but Atlanta did get a better pick after Tennessee’s Divisional round exit.