The next wave of NFL mega deals has started. Both Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas have inked their long-term contracts with both the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos respectively and now the market is set for the next set of starts to get their contracts. All eyes are still on the wide receivers as Julio Jones is next up for a contract and it could be coming sooner than most believe.
Everyone in the Falcons organization have made it clear that Jones will be with the team for many years. As their leading wide receiver, head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff are well aware they cannot lose the former Alabama product. As jones enters the final year of his rookie contract, the Falcons opted to wait for the market to set before beginning negotiations with the wide receiver.
According to ESPN's Vaughn McClure, there is a "general sense" that Jones will sign his contract prior to training camp beginning. The Falcons have notoriously gotten contracts done the day before camp as both Matt Ryan and Roddy White agreed to deals 24 hours before practice started. The belief is that Jones will follow, but the question is for how much. Bryant and Thomas each signed deals worth five years and $70 million with $45 million or close to it in guaranteed money. Statistically speaking, Jones deserves to be in that conversation for money as well. The Falcons are reportedly not in a rush to sign Jones considering they are not under the same deadline as both the Cowboys and Broncos were, but they would ideally like to eliminate the distraction and get something signed.
AJ Green and TY Hilton will be next in line for contracts alongside Jones. Green told NFL.com earlier in the offseason that he is in no rush to get a contract done this offseason. The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver told the media that he is not hurting for money and simply more concerned with appearing at practice and getting better.
Hilton is a bigger question mark. According to the Indianapolis Star, Hilton and the Colts have not even begun thinking about a contract as they remain more focused on getting a deal done for Andrew Luck. Hilton is a recent breakout star for the team, but tweeted out Wednesday that he was happy to see the bar set for receivers as he hopes to get a new deal in place.
