Report: Patriots discussing Julio Jones trade internally

Could Julio Jones end up in New England? Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Patriots have had internal discussions about Julio Jones trade

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 5/22/21

Julio Jones could soon be catching passes from Cam Newton, at least according to multiple reports.

The New England Patriots have had internal discussions about a trade for the Atlanta Falcons veteran wide receiver, NFL Network's Mike Giardi reports.

It's unclear how serious the discussions have been, he adds.

The seriousness of those discussions weren’t made known to me so I shall not speculate.
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) May 22, 2021

Jones is reportedly available for trade as the Falcons look to create more cap space. Trading the 32-year-old after June 1 would give Atlanta an extra $15.3 million of cap room.

NBC Sports Boston's Michael Holley recently reported that Jones wants to play with Cam Newton in New England. He also said the seven-time Pro Bowler has concerns about Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Former Patriots executive Mike Lombardi also said he believes the club "will be in" the mix for Jones.

New England lacks a proven No. 1 wide receiver despite making several moves this offseason. If the Patriots don't land Jones or make another move, they'll go into training camp with Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne as their top two receivers. Jakobi Meyers and N'Keal Harry will slot in behind them.

Jones played just nine games last season due to injury, catching 51 passes for 771 yards and three touchdowns. Before the 2020 campaign, he recorded six consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus yards.

Besides the Patriots, ESPN lists the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders as potential landing spots for Jones.

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