a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that veteran wide receiver Julio Jones had agreed to a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a new home for him was found.
Pro Bowler Jones joins Tom Brady’s arsenal as he tries to bounce back after a disappointing season in Tennessee with the Titans.
The Buccaneers’ wide receiver group already features holdovers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller, and Breshad Perriman, as well as offseason addition Russell Gage, another former Falcon. A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that Godwin suffered late in the 2017 season was repaired during the offseason. Even though the Buccaneers decided not to place him on the PUP list to begin training camp, a source informed ESPN that they will be cautious with him before allowing him to practice.
Last week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers added veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph as a replacement for Rob Gronkowski, who announced his retirement earlier this month.
Jones was released by the Titans in March of this year, only one season after the Falcons traded him to the team.
For the sake of bolstering their passing game, Tennessee gave up two draft picks to acquire him last year. It was only in 10 appearances due to injury that he accumulated 31 receptions for 434 yards and just one touchdown. Jones was out for the second year in a row due to injury. Only nine games were played by him for the Falcons in the upcoming season.
Jones was selected by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft after the Browns traded up to get the Alabama standout. Atlanta sacrificed its first-round pick in 2011 (No. 26), its second-round pick, two fourth-round picks, and its 2012 first-round pick in order to get Jones.
For the Atlanta Falcons, Jones, 33, is the all-time leading receiver in receptions (848) and total touchdowns (12,896). (63). It’s the NFL’s best per-game average for receiving yards.
With 75 touchdown receptions, Evans is also the NFL’s most prolific receiver since the start of the 2014 season. With their newfound unity, they’ve become one.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also waived tight end Codey McElroy on Tuesday because of an injury. One of McElroy’s offseason injuries is a torn plantar fascia, according to an ESPN source.