Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff: Julio Jones Extension Is Likely “Around The Corner”

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said during Thursday’s broadcast that he believes an extension for WR Julio Jones is right “around the corner.”

“He’s in a great spot, we’re in a great spot,” Dimitroff said, via AtlantaFalcons.com. “We continue to have our negotiations. I’m confident, I don’t have an exact timeline, but I’m not concerned about it, he’s not concerned about it … It’s just a matter of where it’s all going to land. As you know, you get a little creative and see how it is. I think it’s around the corner.”

Jones made the decision to not hold out of training camp like some other players, even though he has yet to sign a new extension yet.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank has said he’s committed to a new deal and the team is confident it will reach an agreement with Jones. 

Jones previously mentioned that he trusts the team and doesn’t plan to hold out from training camp to force progress in negotiations.

“Mr. Blank gave us his word,” Jones said. “That’s golden. His word is that it’s going to get done. There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it. He makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”

Jones could and likely will end up being the highest-paid receiver in NFL history when all is said and done. 

Jones, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Falcons back in 2011. He’s currently in the fifth year of his six-year, $81.432 million contract that includes $47 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $12.5 million for the 2019 season.

The Falcons adjusted Jones’ contract last year to pay him an additional $2.9 million in 2018 and included a $4.4 million signing bonus.

In 2018, Jones appeared in all 16 games for the Falcons and caught 113 passes for 1,677 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.

We’ll have more regarding a new deal for Jones as the news is available.