Seven-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones has signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The NFL veteran may no longer be in his prime, but he will be a valuable addition to the Bucs and will help Brady and co in their push for another Super Bowl championship.
Jones didn’t have the best of seasons with the Tennessee Titans last year. However, he leads the league in receiving yards since 2014, and because he comes to Tampa with a point to prove, opponents should be worried.
Jones and Evans Will Terrorize Opponents
The 33-year-old joins a group of receivers that includes Mike Evans among others, and Evans leads the NFL in touchdown catches (75). So, in Jones, the Bucs have the best in the business when it comes to receiving yards, and Evans tops the charts in touchdown catches. The Bucs and Brady have formed quite the combo.
Bucs’ receivers department also includes Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson, Russell Gage and Breshad Perriman.
Now, Godwin will likely miss the start of the season with a torn ACL. So if he stays fit, Julio Jones should get ample playing time. He won’t play seventeen games this season, but he will hold the fort until Godwin comes back from injury, and that will be crucial for the Bucs.
Julio Jones was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2011 as the sixth pick in the draft. He is their leader in yards (12,896) and catches (848), and is only behind Roddy White in touchdown receptions (63). Jones also boasts an average of 91.9 receiving yards per game – the best in NFL history.
A Gronkowski-Shaped Hole
The Bucs are trying to build a championship team this season, but that task has been made harder by Rob Gronkowski retiring. The Florida-based franchise brought in another veteran of the game in Kyle Rudolph a week ago to replace Gronkowski.
However, fans are still hoping that Brady will make that phone call once again and convince the tight end to come out of retirement for the second time in his career.
If Gronkowski returns and Godwin comes back from injury earlier than expected, Jones will become a luxury buy for the Bucs, but that’s never a bad thing for a team that has championship ambitions.
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