Report: Julio Jones signs contract extension with Atlanta Falcons

After Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas snagged new deals from the Cowboys and Broncos, respectively, you knew Julio Jones' extension wouldn't be too far behind. We had to wait a little longer than anticipated, but today, we have the good news that one of the most dynamic receivers in football will be a centerpiece of the Falcons' offense for many years to come, and just before the Dolphins game, to boot.

Julio Jones and Falcons have agreed to a new 5-year contract worth $71.250 million and $47 million guaranteed. Team about to announce.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 29, 2015

While I know some will disagree, this was a no-brainer for the Falcons, who couldn't very well let Julio walk. He's easily their most productive receiver on the team, he opens up opportunities for everyone else on the field due to his mere proximity and he's now one of only two receivers under 30 on long-term deals for this team. Arthur Blank had spoken openly about wanting to get a deal done with Julio, and when the owner is publicly throwing his weight behind the signing, it's going to get done sooner or later.

Julio's deal narrowly edges out Dez Bryant's, and I'm absolutely certain that was by design. As long as he's healthy, there's a very good chance he'll earn every dollar of this deal, and I look forward to seeing how it's structured.

Jones, who is still just 26 years old, has 49 games under his belt with 278 receptions, 4,330 yards and 26 touchdowns. He's simply one of the biggest, fastest and most dangerous receiving options in the NFL, and while we're always going to fret over his injury history, his 104/1,593/6 line from 2014 in just 15 games suggests he's going to continue to torch secondaries for years to come, and he's getting paid less than Calvin Johnson to do so. Ultimately, this is a win for every party involved.