ATLANTA (AP)Julio Jones will report to training camp with the
Atlanta
Falcons
Adult Julio
Jones Jersey , the team said late Wednesday after reaching an agreement to
renegotiate the star receiver¡¯s contract next year.General manager Thomas
Dimitroff announced the compromise about 16 hours ahead of Thursday¡¯s 4 p.m.
reporting deadline, removing a major distraction hanging over a team that is
again expected to be one of the top contenders in the NFC.¡±We have had continued
dialogue all offseason with Julio and his representation,¡± Dimitroff said. ¡±We
have come to an agreement with Julio, and we will readdress everything in 2019.
I appreciate everyone¡¯s hard work and communication on this.¡±The Falcons had
informed Jones several weeks ago that they wouldn¡¯t be able to renegotiate his
current $71.5 million package, which still has three years remaining and
included $47 million in guaranteed money.Jones, who makes an average of $14.25
million a year, was unhappy with his deal after a flurry of new contracts during
the offseason dropped Jones down the list of the NFL¡¯s highest-paid
receivers.Tampa Bay¡¯s Mike Evans , Cleveland¡¯s Jarvis Landry and Kansas City¡¯s
Sammy Watkins are among those now making more per year than Jones, a two-time
All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler who caught 88 passes for 1,444 yards last
season.Jones skipped offseason workouts at the team¡¯s training facility as well
as a mandatory minicamp to demonstrate his unhappiness. His next option was to
hold out during training camp, which could have led to fines of
$40
Limited
Calvin Ridley Jersey ,000 per day.Neither side wanted to go down a path
that could¡¯ve damaged what has otherwise been a good relationship. So, it looks
as though Jones will get a new deal in 2019 ¨C not as soon as he would¡¯ve liked,
but a year earlier than the Falcons would normally agree to renegotiate a
long-term contract.Atlanta is eager to pair Jones with another former Alabama
receiver, Calvin Ridley, who was this year¡¯s first-round pick. The team hopes
that Ridley, as he develops, can help to lure coverages away from Jones, who is
often blanketed by two or three defenders.The Falcons said salary cap
limitations prevented them from discussing a new deal with Jones in 2018 . The
team already agreed to a five-year, $150 million extension with quarterback Matt
Ryan, the most lucrative deal in NFL history, and is now focused on working out
new contracts for defensive tackle Grady
Jarrett
Calvin
Ridley Falcons Jersey , offensive guard Jake Matthews and safety Ricardo
Allen.¡±This adjustment does not impede us from working on other extensions with
other key members of our football team,¡± Dimitroff said. ¡±We will continue to
work on those contracts going forward.¡±Jones hasn¡¯t talked with the Atlanta
media in months, keeping a low profile during the contract brouhaha. In one of
his rare public appearances, he told TMZ that he has a good relationship with
the franchise that pulled off a blockbuster trade with Cleveland to make him a
first-round pick in 2011.¡±I¡¯m just working on getting myself better,¡± he said.
¡±There¡¯s no bad blood between me and the team or anything like that.¡±Jones
hasn¡¯t been totally estranged from his teammates during the offseason. This
month, he took part in Ryan¡¯s private passing camp in California along with
about a dozen of his teammates.All throughout the contract talks, Jones remained
in the good graces of coach Dan Quinn.¡±Sometimes football and business
intersect,¡± Quinn said after Jones skipped the three-day minicamp. ¡±That¡¯s OK
and that happens a lot.¡±¡ª Owner Arthur Blank has made more money by selling food
for less. So going into next season, the Falcons are going to make their hot
dogs even cheaper.The team announced a drop of concession prices for five items
at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including making their famous $2 hot dog a $1.50 hot
dog.They lowered the prices on a number of food items in 2017, and saw a 16
percent increase in
revenues
Elite
Calvin Ridley Jersey , as the goodwill generated by affordable concessions
made fans likelier to loosen their wallets and their belts.They also sold the $2
hot dogs at the Super Bowl, where nothing is cheap, and they were the
top-selling item.The new prices will go into effect immediately at MLS games
there. In addition to being able to get a tube steak for six quarters (though
they¡¯re going cashless, so don¡¯t bring six quarters), they¡¯ve dropped the prices
of pretzel bites (from $5 to $4.50), burgers ($8 to $7.50), ice cream in a
waffle cone ($5 to $4.50), and chips and salsa ($3 to $2.50).