The San Francisco 49ers were against Julio Jones before Sunday’s blockbuster deal that sent him from the Atlanta Falcons to the Tennessee Titans.

It made sense since Jones’ previous relationship with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan went back to their days together in Atlanta. The 49ers’ questionable wide receiver situation behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel added another layer.

Whatever the reason, San Francisco couldn’t close the deal. Instead, the Titans grabbed Jones for a second and fourth round to team up with stud receiver AJ Brown for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. That’s a solid number for a seven-time Pro Bowl recipient who has still proven to be dominant on the field.

Meanwhile, Falcons new general manager Terry Fontenot was able to get value for the high-priced seasoned receiver while cutting a ton of salary. It can be argued that both the Titans and the Hawks were winners here. The San Francisco 49ers? Not as much. Here are three reasons for that.

The San Francisco 49ers still can’t close the deal with a wide receiver

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I get it. The 49ers have had great success in recent drafts with both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. That’s all well and good. However, the team’s inability to land a proven # 1 recipient for head coach Kyle Shanahan is a bit of a concern. In 2019, San Francisco felt like it had the best deal on the table for then New York Giants recipient Odell Beckham Jr. before it was dealt to the Cleveland Browns. Reports have since surfaced suggesting that Giants general manager David Gettleman did not want to trade OBJ with an NFC rival. It’s hard to blame the 49ers for that.

Other than that, it’s just a continuation of the struggles the 49ers had to land proven recipients through either the free agency or the commercial market. In March, San Francisco hadn’t even got its feet wet when it came to top-end receivers on the open market. These included Corey Davis, Kenny Golladay, and Curtis Samuel – the latter would have fitted very nicely in the slot. In 2020, San Francisco refused to sign Emmanuel Sanders again and did not bid for another slot type in Robby Anderson.

On the way to the training camp, there will be an open competition for the wide receiver spot No. 3 and the top slot position in Santa Clara. This includes former third-round pick Jalen Hurd, who missed his first two NFL seasons due to injury. It also contains veteran cstoffs like Mohamed Sanu and Bennie Fowler. This could be the doom of the 49ers in 2021.

About the “aggressive” nature of the San Francisco 49ers

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General Manager John Lynch and Co. shocked the football world at the start of this off-season by breaking the 12th. This was the culmination of an aggressive tenure for Lynch in San Francisco.

The 49ers built a championship caliber roster by trading with the likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Laken Tomlinson, Trent Williams, Dee Ford, and the aforementioned Sanders. While this had consequences for both the salary cap and the draft, these deals also worked for the most part.

Sure, the 49ers are limited when it comes to draft picks to offer in blockbuster trades after moving two future first rounds and a 2022 third round into the Lance blockbuster. That’s all well and good. However, it must be possible to strike a balance between winning now and preparing for the future. A second-round pick and a mid-round pick wouldn’t have handcuffed the 49ers too much. It would have made their offensive pretty unstoppable too.

The NFL salary cap is an invention of our imagination

09/20/2020; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch (left) shakes hands with head coach Kyle Shanahan after beating the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

That might sound a bit hyperbolic. But check out what the Titans did to get Julio Jones. Tennessee was about $ 2 million under the ceiling before earning the future Hall of Fame recipient. The 49ers? They are currently at $ 17.36 million below the cap.

Of course, every team has different situations on their squad. For the 49ers, this includes the need to sign all-pro linebacker Fred Warner for a massive contract extension this off-season. With that in mind, San Francisco is sitting back and ready to pay Garoppolo $ 26.38 million against the cap, even after adding his eventual heir. The 49ers could also have created more wiggle room by adding Laken Tomlinson and Jimmie Ward, two players who fit into their long-term futures.

What does it all mean? The NFL salary cap for 2022 could climb to $ 208.2 million after a sharp drop in the coming season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will skyrocket in 2023 when the NFL’s new television deal comes into play. With a salary cap guru in President Paraag Marathe, the San Francisco 49ers could have done this job very well. Unfortunately, they couldn’t close the deal. This could have a big impact on San Francisco’s status as the top-end title contender in 2021 after an injury-ridden campaign in 2020.

All of this makes the San Francisco 49ers the biggest loser when it comes to Sunday blockbuster Julio Jones against the Tennessee Titans.

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Several teams are in the mix to land receiver Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons, who said last week he wanted a fresh start before the 2021 season. The Tennessee Titans reportedly emerged as favorites to take the All-Pro pass catcher land, but ESPN-NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said another team is on the verge of a final deal.

“From what I hear, something could go wrong on Wednesday,” Fowler said on ESPN’s Get Up. “The team I hear most of all are the San Francisco 49ers. They have a cap of $ 20 million. They hear Titans, Aries, and Seahawks. A sleeper here is the Baltimore Ravens, too, and I was told that they are ready to get involved when it is at the right price. “

The right price is the all-important question here, as the Hawks have reportedly requested a first-round pick for Jones. The Hawks can save $ 15 million by trading the superstar after June 1. This could get them back the funds they need to sign the 2021 NFL Draft Class and potentially sign additional veteran aid.

New general manager Terry Fontenot said ahead of the 2021 NFL draft that they have made offers. When Jones is traded, he wants to make sure it’s best for the team.

“Obviously we value this particular player very much,” Fontenot told local Atlanta television station FOX 5. “He is special, what he has done and what he continues to do here.” But we have to consider all the players if it is right for the team because we have to do what is best for this organization. “

What Atlanta can get in return will ultimately determine whether a deal is closed.

“The Hawks are aiming for a first round selection, but it’s not a slam dunk that they get it,” said Fowler. “The team could ask one (trading partner) to provide some of those $ 15 million guarantees. You need to find a sweet spot to get this to work. It’s an arms race in NFC West and they must do everything possible to bring the best player into position. “

Dominique Foxworth believes the 49ers are the best fit for Jones.

“You have a group of very good recipients, But they have no one as great as Julio Jones, ”said Foxworth on Monday. “It takes this offense to another level with someone on the fringes like Julio Jones. Julio is pretty comfortable with Kyle Shanahan. Julio would be.” in a great situation because he wouldn’t have to lay the offense on his back. “

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The San Francisco 49ers must find a way to get Julio Jones.

With the loss of Kendrick Bourne to the free agency, the 49ers wide reception room in Santa Clara currently consists of Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and 10 other players. Of the 10 other players, only two – Mohamed Sanu and Richie James Jr. – have been somewhat productive in the past two seasons. In total, the group of 10 teamed up for 1,661 yards and five touchdowns at 151 receptions.

By comparison, Julio Jones has 2,165 yards and nine touchdowns from 150 receptions in the same two seasons.

According to reports, the Hawks were initially looking for a first-round draft pick in exchange for Jones but would now be ready to move the veteran receiver for a second-round pick.

The 49ers don’t have a first-round pick in the next two drafts as part of the cost of the rise and draft of Trey Lance, but that shouldn’t stop them from offering Atlanta their second-round pick and the deal with them in 2022 to sweeten the balance for the third round in the 2023 draft. There is no player the 49ers could take at the end of the second round that could give them the productivity they would get from Jones, a future Hall of Famer.

The addition of Jones could help the 49ers meet two of the biggest needs in their passing game: a downfield threat to Brandon Aiyuk and the third receiver.

With Jones on the roster, the 49ers could put Deebo Samuel in the role of third-wide receiver. This move would allow Samuel to still distinguish himself as the gadget player he has been so effective with since joining the 49ers as the second round selection in the 2019 draft. Samuel is the size and tracking ability Kyle Shanahan has been looking for. With no other sane player of this type of roster, Samuel’s move to that role could make the 49ers’ offensive more explosive than during a run to the Super Bowl in 2019, when they ended up with the second highest percentage of explosive games on the NFL.

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Does Julio Jones’ deal with the 49ers make sense? (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)

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On the surface, the idea of ​​a team like the San Francisco 49ers hitting a $ 15.3 million salary cap this late in the off-season makes little sense. It is not sensible.

It’s also not reasonable to believe that anyone of Julio Jones’ broad receiver is usually available this late in the off-season. However, it will most likely be on June 1st.

According to Jeff Schultz of The Athletic, the Atlanta Falcons are under the guise of getting the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to fix their problems with the salary cap.

“Jones’ availability in the trading market was almost clear when new general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith landed in Atlanta and realized the magnitude of the team’s salary cap issues,” noted Schultz. “Anyone who is likely to deny this is doing so out of sheer fandom.”

Unsurprisingly, Schultz listed San Francisco as one of the five teams that make sense to Julio Jones. It’s something that has been discussed on an endless loop for the past few weeks.

The fit is obvious. The 49ers need another proven wide receiver for Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. In this scenario, Samuel would likely switch to the slot, with Aiyuk starting from outside against Jones. In the presence of all-pro tight end, add George Kittle and that’s an elite skill position group for Trey Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo in the middle.

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49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who worked with Jones in Atlanta from 2015-2016, appears open to the option of earning the future Hall of Fame recipient.

“Julio Jones, for everyone, especially if you’ve had the chance to coach him, he’s what you say and more,” Shanahan, former NFL player Michael Irvin, said on a recent podcast. “I mean, the guy is unique. It makes coaching much – much – easier. Therefore, Julio feels the same for everyone. So I’m not worried about saying that. As is well known. Everyone knows that Julio is on another level. That’s why he’s a special guy. “

In her two-year stint with Atlanta when Shanahan Jones was offensive coordinator, the broad receiver garnered 219 receptions for 3,280 yards. Shanahan has looked after his former recipient since taking the 49ers’ job in 2017.

These are the acquaintances. Jones is a great fit. He has a relationship with Shanahan. He can still produce at a high level if he is healthy. It is the unknowns that add more layers to the story. You could also complicate matters when it comes to a possible Julio Jones deal with the 49ers.

San Francisco 49ers Draft Pick Restrictions

Trading with Trey Lance limits the 49ers offering in a Julio Jones deal. (Photo by Michael … [+] Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images)

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With the rise from the 12th choice in the NFL Draft 2021 to third overall for Trey Lance, San Francisco pretty much sold its soul to the “devil”. This included sending picks to the Miami Dolphins for the first round in 2021 and 2022, as well as choosing the equalizer selection for the third round next year.

At 32 years old and an injury-ridden 2020 campaign in which he missed seven games due to injury, Jones is unlikely to need a selection in the first round of a trade. If another team offers this in a shocking way, San Francisco is immediately out of the competition. At the moment it can be assumed that this is not the case.

Instead, the Hawks are likely looking for a second-round pick for the Veteran Recipient. This is reasonably a price the 49ers could meet. Sure, it would get them out of the first two rounds of the NFL draft next year, but Jones’ short-term presence on a Super Bowl-competing team would be far more impactful than what the 49ers are hoping for a late second round selection in 2022 .

Julio Jones’ Contract, San Francisco 49ers Salary Cap Situation

The San Francisco 49ers have to imprison Fred Warner. (Photo by Ralph Freso / Getty Images)

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San Francisco currently has a cap space of $ 17.6 million, a number that will be brought down to around $ 11.5 million according to the rookie-class total characters. Jones is currently expected to offset $ 15.3 million against the cap for an assuming team.

The math doesn’t seem to work here, does it? Not correct! There are ways to navigate through these. Obviously, the best financial scenario would be to trade Garoppolo, which would create a cap space of $ 23.6 million. Given the 49ers’ stance on their starting quarterback since Lance was drafted, this seems like a highly unlikely scenario.

Rather, the 49ers are telling Atlanta to raise roughly $ 5 million from this $ 15.3 million cap hit – in exchange for another mid-round selection. From a purely financial perspective, this would work. This wouldn’t affect the Falcons’ long-term health either, which is one of the reasons Jones is on the block in the first place.

From the perspective of the 49ers, this would create the need for cap gymnastics for team president Paraag Marathe. He has been able to navigate these topics in the past and most recently helped San Francisco put together a surprisingly effective time for freelance agencies.

The background to this is the need to sign all-pro linebacker Fred Warner for an extension before he joins the free agency next March. San Francisco won’t be bringing the BYU product to the open market, but if Warner goes under the franchise label in 2022, it would hurt the health of the 49ers in terms of the salary cap going forward. The cap hit would likely be $ 16 million in this scenario.

Would a deal with Jones put an end to Warner’s extension talks? I’m not sure. In fact, security guard Laken Tomlinson and security officer Jimmie Ward’s signing for extensions would lower their caps for 2021. Both have been absolutely great over the past few seasons and fit into the long-term future of the 49ers.

According to Over the Cap, these two steps would save about $ 9 million in space. If necessary, restructuring the contract with defense attorney Arik Armstead would save an additional $ 4.6 million. The moral of this story? By definition, the NFL only exists under a “hard cap”. This cap will never be a disadvantage when it comes to making a blockbuster trade. With Marathe as a guru in this regard, the 49ers are no different.

Yes, Julio Jones to the San Francisco 49ers makes sense

Julio Jones to the San Francisco 49ers could actually happen. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

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Here are a few other obstacles to overcome. Would Atlanta want to take Jones to a conference rival? Will other teams offer more than the 49ers could possibly send to the Hawks? These are two big questions.

Even so, Jones has played selflessly with the Falcons in a brilliant 10-year career. Given his MO, I can’t see the esteemed owner Arthur Blank not instructing his new front office to work with Jones on potential targets. Pure guesswork here, but there seem to be very few who fit better for the future first choice Hall of Famer than with his former offensive coordinator in San Francisco.

Some may push back realizing that this is a short-term move based on the Super Bowl competition in 2021 after the 49ers sold their future to a quarterback who is unlikely to lead them into the competition this season. It’s good.

What we do know is that in a successful off-season, San Francisco struck a balance between competing in the future and returning to championship competition status in the short term. Adding Jones to the mix would be part of that fortunate medium that General Manager John Lynch and Co. have found.

From a purely football standpoint, the addition of Jones would create inconsistencies up and down the field. Imagine how dynamic a healthy Jones would work with Aiyuk, Samuel and Kittle. Add a loaded backfield and a vastly improved offensive line and that gets enlarged even further.

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If Jimmy Garoppolo is in the spotlight, he would have no excuses. Should the Super Bowl quarterback struggle in a technically contract year, any interest in him as a starter for the next off-season would be thrown out the window. Should he excel, as we saw in 2019, Garoppolo would have a choice when it comes to potential targets in a business.

Should Lance somehow beat Garoppolo for the starting job, there is no better way to help him in 2021 than to add one of the greatest recipients in modern NFL history. Jones, who is under contract through the 2023 season, would also have a long-term impact on Lance’s ability to make the transition from a small school college ball to the pros.

It’s always fun to throw away blockbuster trading scenarios and see if they stick around. The reality is that these blockbusters rarely work in real life. For now, Julio Jones of the San Francisco 49ers could be an exception to this rule.

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