Julio Jones is a no-doubt future Hall of Famer, one of the greatest players of a generation and one of the most intimidating receivers to ever put on shoulder pads.
But he’s 34 now and in Year 13 of his career after signing with the Eagles’ practice squad this week.
How much does he have left?
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“Have left?!” Jones fired back. “Just keep watching. I ain’t going to make no expectations but just keep watching and I can show you. We’ll revisit this question, all right?”
Fair enough.
While the Eagles technically signed Jones to the practice squad this week — he’s wearing No. 80 — the plan is for him to eventually join the 53-man roster and help the Eagles on the field as part of a receiving corps that already includes A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Jones knows he isn’t going to be the featured target in the Eagles’ offense and he’s willing to take on whatever role Nick Sirianni gives him.
NFL
Just don’t get it twisted.
“My mindset is definitely to dominate,” Jones said. “Don’t get it twisted. I’m here to dominate. But I’m saying guys are already here, they’re solidified in their positions. Wherever they need me to go and be, I’m going to do that at the best of my ability.”
When asked about why the Eagles decided to add Jones this week, head coach Nick Sirianni brought up the lack of depth at wide receiver. Quez Watkins, who came into the season as the third wideout, is on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury, which left the Eagles light at the position. Olamide Zaccheaus has been playing more but Jones should add a different element.
The Eagles watched some of Jones’ tape with the Buccaneers last year and came away thinking it was good. Then they brought Jones in for a workout and thought he still had some juice.
“You can look at the stats. You can do all those different things,” Sirianni said. “But it's about putting the tape on and seeing what you see and what you think, and you know, then seeing him work out the other day, we were like, yeah, he's still got a lot of pop in his legs, and we're excited about that.”
During his press conference on Wednesday, Sirianni again reiterated that the passing game is still going to run through Brown, Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert. That means Jones is going to have a secondary role with the Eagles.
Perhaps that will be made a little bit easier given the fact that he already has a relationship with several of his new teammates, including Brown, Smith, Zaccheaus and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Jones, a product of the University of Alabama, knows Hurts and Smith from his time working out at his alma mater. And he was previously teammates with Smith and Zaccheaus in Tennessee and Atlanta, respectively.
Jones on Wednesday said he’ll be relying on his younger teammates — he said Brown has always been like a little brother to him — to help him catch up on the playbook. The Eagles plan to to let him ramp up from the practice squad but he wasn’t sure how long it will take him.
“This is my first day,” Jone said. “The biggest thing for me is just go out here and learn as much as I can for right now. Wherever the team needs me to fit in at, I’m willing to do. I’m a veteran, I’m can move around, wherever the case may be.”
Sirianni is a former college receiver and coached the position in the NFL so he has always been a big fan of Jones. On Wednesday, Sirianni remembered what it was like being on a team that had to face Jones.
“I thought always was, like, when you just see him, you're like, ‘holy crap, this guy plays wide out,’ right?” Sirianni said.
That memory from Sirianni came in the prime of Jones’ incredible career. He’s not that guy anymore. But the Eagles brought him in because they think he can help. And maybe he can dominate a smaller role.
Now that he’s back in the NFL, Jones is again the NFL’s active leader in receptions and receiving yards. He’s an all-time great.
“He’s a future Hall of Famer,” Hurts said. “I mean, he’s as good as it gets. He’s coming in with a great mentality and a great person to add to this team.”
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