Julio expected to attend Falcons' mandatory minicamp
The Atlanta Falcons expect Julio Jones to attend their mandatory minicamp despite his unresolved contract situation, head coach Dan Quinn told Jeff Schultz of The Athletic on Wednesday.
The superstar receiver has spent the offseason awaiting a new deal. The Falcons assured him they'd redo his contract after satisfying Jones temporarily with a pay raise prior to the 2018 season as he threatened to hold out.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank told ESPN's Vaughn McClure on Wednesday he plans to keep Jones in Atlanta "for life," along with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Deion Jones. The two defenders are also seeking new contracts, with Jarrett in franchise-tag limbo and Jones in the final year of his rookie agreement.
"We have a salary cap, we have limits, that we have to think about not only today but tomorrow, and we have to balance all that off,'' said Blank. "But these are three great young men that we care deeply about, both personally and professionally. They are going to be Falcons for life.
"I'm not worried about getting the deals done. I'm speaking on behalf of Atlanta and Atlanta fans. (General manager) Thomas (Dimitroff) is working hard to get them done. Coach Quinn is supportive as well. It will happen. It's just a matter of when."
Jones, the highest-profile star of the trio, led the NFL in receiving last season with 1,677 yards. The 30-year-old is under contract through the 2020 campaign.