Recent WR Trades Suggest Julio Jones Could Provide Big Payoff

As the Julio Jones watch heats up for Tennessee Titans fans, much of the talk continues to revolve around what the Titans would need to give up in a trade for the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

Some say the Atlanta Falcons, the team for which Jones has played 10 seasons, seek a hefty return for Jones, including a first-round pick. Others say the Falcons, as time goes on, would have to accept a lesser deal (a second-round pick).

Less has been made about what teams get when they make a big move for a premier pass catcher. The returns are almost always instant, at least based on recent results.

If the Titans are serious about Jones, they should consider the success two teams had in trading for wide receivers in the past year.

Last offseason, the Buffalo Bills traded several draft picks, including a first-rounder, to the Minnesota Vikings for Stefon Diggs. The Arizona Cardinals gave up significantly less in a trade with the Houston Texans for DeAndre Hopkins.

Both teams, however, reaped the benefits that come with having wide receivers of that caliber.

With the Bills, Diggs earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after he led the league in receiving yards (1,535) and receptions (127). Both marks rank as franchise single-season records and career-highs. The 26-year-old had nine 100-yard games in his first season with the Bills, which is the most in single-season team history.

On the other hand, Hopkins had just as good of a first season with his new team. He finished third in the league with 1,407 receiving yards and tied for second in receptions with 115. He scored six touchdowns and had six receptions of 40 yards or more, the most by any receiver or tight end. The 28-year-old had seven 100-yard games, finishing just behind Diggs in that category.

Of course, Jones is older than both Diggs and Hopkins. The 32-year-old is coming off a season in which injuries limited him to nine games played. His production dipped because of it.

But that should not cause any concern yet. The two-time All-Pro had more than 1,000 receiving yards and at least 83 receptions in each of the six seasons prior. He led the league in yards in 2018 with 1,677 on 113 receptions.

Any statistics would show that Jones’ play-making ability is something the Titans currently lack at wide receiver outside of Pro Bowler A.J. Brown, who certainly is capable of being a No. 1. The 23-year-old can’t do it by himself, though. Brown himself alluded to that when he left Jones a voice message on Instagram last week and said the Titans are a few pieces away from being a serious Super Bowl contender.

Buffalo’s investment in Diggs resulted in a run to the AFC Championship game this past January. Arizona did not immediately become a contender with the addition of Hopkins, but finished with three more wins (eight) than it had in 2019 (five). The Cardinals figure to be one of the top teams in the NFC this season.

Jones, like Diggs and Hopkins, is an elite talent who can transform a playoff team into a Super Bowl contender. That’s why making a move to get him is more about the production he is capable of rather than the price it might take to get him.