Julio Jones Trade to Titans a 'Win-Win' Situation, Falcons HC Arthur Smith Says

Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith called the team's trade of Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans a "win-win" situation.

Smith told Cris Collinsworth of Pro Football Focus the team's cap situation presented a challenge with retaining Jones for 2021, and a trade was the best solution for both sides.

"We knew the issue with the cap and then obviously the cap went down this year, coming off the bizarre year with the pandemic, the cap actually shrunk. So we knew there were going to be some big decisions we would have to make coming up. The way everything worked out, we feel pretty good," Smith said. "We feel like it was a win-win. With the salary cap, and Julio going to Tennessee and us right now being able to solve our short-term issue with the cap."

The Falcons traded Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for a 2022 second-round selection and a fourth-rounder in 2023.

While it seemed Jones welcomed a change, a divorce was inevitable given the $15.3 million in savings the cap-strapped Falcons gained with the deal. Jones is coming off an injury-plagued 2021 that saw him limited to nine games, marking just the second time in his career he'd missed more than three games.

"I believe in me. I know what I have in the tank. And we talking about age is 32. I'm young. In football, you can say it's old, but you either do it or don't. This game don't change for me. I'm still fast and still strong. For those questioning my health, stay tuned," Jones told reporters. 

The Titans are hoping pairing Jones with AJ Brown will give them one of the most dynamic receiving corps in the league. 

The Falcons used their first-round selection on tight end Kyle Pitts, which may help offset the loss of Jones.