Falcons Owner Arthur Blank: New Julio Jones Contract 'Very, Very Close'

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is under contract only through the 2020 season, but he may have a new deal on the way. 

"I'd be surprised and disappointed if we didn't get it done this week," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said of the negotiations that are apparently "very, very close" to ending, per Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. "... I think it's very reasonable to assume it will get done this week."

On Sunday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported the lack of a new Jones deal had become "a problem for the team."

Florio noted some around the league thought the Falcons and Jones had reached a quiet agreement during the offseason and needed to wait until the mandatory year passed from his last revised deal, but that wasn't the case.

For his part, Jones told TMZ Sports in July he wouldn't hold out.

"Mr. Blank gave us his word," the receiver said. "That's golden … [Blank's] word is that it's going to get done. There's no stress on my end. I'm not thinking about it."

Jones also said his agent, Jimmy Sexton, was in town to negotiate an extension in August, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

While there is some risk from the Falcons' perspective in extending Jones' deal since he is 30 years old, he has done nothing but produce since the team selected him with the No. 6 pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He is a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro selection and has topped 1,400 receiving yards in each of the last five years.

Jones tallied 113 catches for a league-leading 1,677 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he soon could be playing under a new deal as he looks to replicate that type of impact in 2019.