It’s been two weeks since the Falcons made one of the biggest draft day moves in recent memory, as they traded up in the first round to grab Julio Jones. When you make a move like the Falcons did, there is a price to pay, and for the Falcons, they had to surrender their first round pick, second round pick, fourth round pick and next year’s first round and fourth round picks.
When I first heard about the trade, I was a little shocked that the Falcons would make a move like this. General manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith are about building through the draft and not making any risky moves. So as a result, they have built this current team though the draft while adding key free agents.
But now that I think about it and let the trade sink in, I like the move. There are times where a franchise has to make a bold move in order to take that next step. The Falcons were 13-3 last year and won the NFC South Division as well as having the best record in the conference. But Smith was clear that they needed to be more explosive plays on offense. The Falcons did score a lot of points last year, but the reason for that is they were able to control the clock and make little to zero mistakes.
They did have more dire needs on draft day, especially when it comes to the defensive line, offensive line and linebackers. But the organization felt Jones was the right fit for the Falcons in terms of what they want to do on offense moving forward.
So here’s what the Falcons should look like. You have Matt Ryan at quarterback, Michael Turner at running back, Roddy White and Jones at the wideouts and Tony Gonzalez at the tight end spots. All of these players made it to the pro bowl except for Jones, and if everything goes according to plan, Jones should be making trips to Hawaii on a yearly basis.
Did the Falcons give up a lot to get an unproven player? Yes. But the reality is they had a chance to get a player with a huge upside and they seized the moment. Since 2008, the Falcons have been sitting back and not making any bold moves. Now, with the Saints looking to get back to the Super Bowl and Tampa Bay being a team on the rise, the Falcons had to make sure they stay on top and they felt like this was the way to do it.
Now, all this is pending because the NFL is still in its lockout, but If Jones becomes the player we all hope he can be this year, the Falcons will have another legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl this year.
But what if he doesn’t pan out? What if he struggles and the Falcons are 8-8 when the 2011 season concludes? How much heat will Dimitroff have on him if Jones does not perform?
1 comment:
But you've got to like the b*lls that the Falcons showed with the draft. What are the odds that a third, fourth, fifth pick ALL have the impact that Jones will? Your 1st round pick next year will be a No. 28 or 30? So what? You take Jones NOW!
The ONLY thing that might bug you is the No. 24 pick could have gotten you Jimmy Smith (Colorado CB) and the 3rd rounder would have netted you Randall Cobb. But you still have to like JJones!
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