A new home for Julio Jones could be coming soon.
According to NBC Sports' Peter King, the Falcons have begun "laying the framework" for a Julio Jones trade. The trade wouldn't be made official until after June 1, when Jones' cap hit wouldn't be as devastating to Atlanta's cap situation.
Among the teams interested in Jones, King reports, the Raiders and Patriots would both be in the running. The return: future NFL draft picks, which King speculates as a second-rounder.
Per OverTheCap, a pre-June 1 trade would result in more than $23 million in dead money, while a post-June 1 trade would lessen the blow and result in $15 million in cap savings heading into 2021.
MORE: 2021 NFL Mock Draft, three-round edition — Who do Falcons take?
The Falcons currently sit at No. 4 in the 2021 NFL Draft, and they remain one of the biggest mysteries of this year's cycle. While some speculate that Atlanta could take a passer of the future for the heir apparent to Matt Ryan, others believe they could opt for Florida tight end Kyle Pitts should he be available at the pick.
A Pitts pick would mitigate the loss of Jones via trade, should Pitts' potential be realized in Year 1 with Atlanta.
The Falcons are ushering a new era of ball with Arthur Smith at head coach, but questions surrounding Ryan's future and whether Smith would want his own moldable quarterback make them the team to watch heading into April 29.
Either way, it doesn't seem like Julio is long for Hotlanta.
