NFL Insider Estimates When Julio Jones Trade Will Go Down

An important benchmark in the ongoing Julio Jones situation is upon us.

The Falcons have made it clear that Jones is available for trade, but we knew Atlanta would not deal the superstar wide receiver before June 1. By waiting until after that date, the cash-strapped Falcons gain some much needed cap flexibility as they figure out what to do with one of their highest-paid players.

Don’t count on a Jones trade coming to fruition very shortly after June 1, however. Mike Garafolo’s read on the matter tells him a blockbuster won’t go down until later in the summer.

“I believe — based on my conversations with those in the know — that this is probably something that leads up to training camp and at that point the Falcons take the best offer that they could possibly have,” Garafolo said on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access.” “It will be a decent offer, it will be a competitive market. I just don’t sense that it’s imminent right now.”

Garafolo’s presumption about the pool of teams interested in Jones is trending in the right direction. Several teams have been rumored to be in pursuit of the seven-time Pro Bowl selection, including the Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.