birdz4i Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 There's a long list of top tier NFL wide receivers who'd love to get a new contract before the 2015 season starts. That list includes Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and Julio Jones.Although Bryant and Thomas have put their foot down -- Bryant is threatening to sit out several regular season games and Thomas didn't show up for any offseason practices -- Jones doesn't plan to do the same.The Falcons wide receiver said this week that he's going to show up for practice because not showing up is "selfish.""I'm not going to hold out for anything," Jones said, via ESPN.com. "My teammates need me. I'm being selfish if I'm not here and doing what I need to do."If holding out is selfish, then you can probably guess what Jones thinks of Bryant and Thomas' situation. That being said, Jones claims he hasn't been paying attention to the other two."I haven't been watching other people," Jones said. "All I can do is take care of me. I'm going to let [the Falcons] take care of that side of it.If they say be here at this time, I'm going to be there. I'm going to be accountable."Jones isn't in the exact same situation as Bryant and Thomas, but it is similar.If Jones doesn't reach a new deal with the Falcons before the season starts, he'll have to play the 2015 season under the option year in his rookie deal.Under the CBA that was approved in 2011, all first-round picks are given a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth-year. Jones was the sixth overall pick in 2011 and the Falcons exercised his option in May 2014.The option year for top-10 picks is almost like getting tagged: Jones will be paid a number equal to the transition tag in 2015, meaning he'll make $10.2 million.If Bryant and Thomas sign their franchise deals, they'll each make $12.823 million in 2015.Jones will definitely be making his money in 2015, however, it's not clear if Bryant and Thomas will be collecting because both players seem to have zero interest in playing the upcoming season under the franchise tag.The weird part here is that all three receivers -- along with A.J. Green -- are connected whether they like it or not. One of the four will have to sign a new deal first and that new deal is going to set the new market for wide receivers.The highest paid receiver in the NFL is currently Calvin Johnson, who signed a seven-year, $113.45 million contract that included $48.75 million guaranteed in 2012.As for Jones, it doesn't sound like he would mind being the guinea pig in the game of roulette that the receiver market has become."Whatever the [Falcons] feel like I'm deserving of... I'm just here," Jones said. "I'm just trying to be the best teammate. I'm just trying to play.My thing is to play ball. Jimmy Sexton, he's going to negotiate that with [general manager] Thomas [Dimitroff] and [Falcons owner] Mr. [Arthur] Blank. That's the side they handle. My side, I've got to handle on the football field. I've got to keep showing up every day and putting in work."The crazy part is, Sexton might actually be using the fact that Jones is "showing up every day and putting in work" as part of negotiations.Jones' agent could make a point that a guy who shows up and doesn't hold out deserves more money than a Bryant -- who's threatening to sit out games -- or a Thomas, who's just not showing up for work.http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25218965/indirect-knock-on-dez-falcons-wr-julio-jones-calls-holding-out-selfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaFanatic Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I made a comment about this on an ESPN article and the Cowboys fans came at me so hard it was funny. They tried to tell me Julio couldn't hold Dez Bryant's jockstrap and told me to kill myself. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFG Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Anytime you put yourself before the team it is selfish. From a character stand point there is no comparison between Jones and Bryant. I'm still hung up the fact that Dez Bryant hit his mother..what do you really expect from a guy like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sui_Generis Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I made a comment about this on an ESPN article and the Cowboys fans came at me so hard it was funny. They tried to tell me Julio couldn't hold Dez Bryant's jockstrap and told me to kill myself. hahaI am not surprised. Cowboys fans are the worst. They are irrational to say the least. I live in Texas so I hear it all the time. A good group of them also believe Demarrco Murray was trash, but he was the greatest rb in the NFL while he was in Dallas. I despise them more than Saints fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaFanatic Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am not surprised. Cowboys fans are the worst. They are irrational to say the least.I live in Texas so I hear it all the time. A good group of them also believe Demarrco Murray was trash, but he was the greatest rb in the NFL while he was in Dallas.I despise them more than Saints fans.Yeah I mean, it's the internet so I know you get the badest azzez around but I was cracking up because I didn't expect to be so berrated and told I was trash just because I told them that Julio wasn't being selfish and Dez was.For the record, I'm not even mad at Dez because I can't say I wouldn't look out for #1 if I was in that same situation but there is something to say about the difference between the way it's being handled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Even Bleed Red Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Nah, don't think so. He was asked a question and replied honestly with this first instinct. He may think that Dez is selfish but wasn't taking a shot at him - he prolly wasn't even thinking about Dez at that time. People just like to misconstrue things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtybird56 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Wasn't a shot at bryant or thomas. Julio doesn't concern himself with pettiness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcons_Frenzy Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I'm glad Julio isn't a ***** like dez. If Bryant didn't have a history of being a turd he'd have a contract already. If players have a problem with franchise tag and getting paid top 5 money cry to the union and in the meantime play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Guess it was a shot at roddy and every other player who has held out as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskooler Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am not surprised. Cowboys fans are the worst. They are irrational to say the least. I live in Texas so I hear it all the time. A good group of them also believe Demarrco Murray was trash, but he was the greatest rb in the NFL while he was in Dallas. I despise them more than Saints fans.I was with you right up until that last line. Having grown up partly in Texas, I can say with authority that Cowboys fans are arrogantly delusional, and deliberately fickle. Every player is either the greatest HoF'er of all time or complete gutter-trash. I can't tell you how many times people almost came to blows with me because I refused to say that Romo is either the best qb in the NFL, or a chokester who should have been fired right after The Botched Hold. Apparently, in Texas it is impossible to be a very talented, very good QB with a few imperfections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culain_04 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 It is selfish, childish, and shows he has little character.He will get a big contract, i don't think he deserves one, but he will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monolith2001 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Don't know if JJ was calling out Dez but truth is truth so can't blame him for that. Julio knows he is wanted here (though some on this board have silly notions) and that he is going to be rich no matter what. When you know those things, you are free to play for the love of the game, the fans and your teamates not a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_Lo_Touchdowns Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Sooooo same article from last week with a different title....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonFalcon Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 While I agree that you have to look out for #1, the thing is, you're being paid to do a job. If I, as a common man, decided I wasn't coming to work until I got a raise, I would be out of the job.Julio has always been a very humble young man, never causes any problems and works hard during the offseason. Saban wants all of his guys to be this way. Show up, do your job, and everything will work out. Julio has taken that to heart and just wants to do his job, which is catch footballs and make plays. The money side will work itself out, just as it always does. I have no doubt in my mind that Julio will be a Falcon for life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lornoth Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Wasn't a shot at anyone, I doubt, but I do like the contrast it throws up between JJ and these other guys. I really love JJ's attitude, on and off the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4.5 underdogs Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 You can't even compare the two. Julio is the real deal team player and Dez is a Bitcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD dirtybird21 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 On talent alone, both guys are freaks of nature. Dez's knock is his personality. Julio's knock is health. I'm taking Julio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayOzOne Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 "Selfish" is not a character flaw in my opinion. You get one chance at a career and you should do it on your terms. Dez isn't holding out for money so much as terms of a contract that will be free of the team telling him how to live his life away from the field. A team that signed a drunk driver (who killed another player) and a sociopath in addition to drafting a druggie (who has shown zero ability to control his problem) wanting to put babysitters into a contract is a little ballsy. They may be right to want it, but he's not wrong to hold out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.11 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) Don't know if JJ was calling out Dez but truth is truth so can't blame him for that. Julio knows he is wanted here (though some on this board have silly notions) and that he is going to be rich no matter what. When you know those things, you are free to play for the love of the game, the fans and your teamates not a contract.That and he's already invested in the restaurant business, so he has something to fall back on. Smart guy. His head is apparently in the right place."Selfish" is not a character flaw in my opinion.I'd do a double take on that one. Edited June 19, 2015 by JerseyNo12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sui_Generis Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I was with you right up until that last line. Having grown up partly in Texas, I can say with authority that Cowboys fans are arrogantly delusional, and deliberately fickle. Every player is either the greatest HoF'er of all time or complete gutter-trash. I can't tell you how many times people almost came to blows with me because I refused to say that Romo is either the best qb in the NFL, or a chokester who should have been fired right after The Botched Hold. Apparently, in Texas it is impossible to be a very talented, very good QB with a few imperfections.I hear you. I only say that about Saints fans because a large part of my family is from the Biloxi, Mississippi area and they are Saints fans. Not Brees era fans. True ride or die Saints fans. And my mom hates the Cowboys. So I naturally hate them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtybird56 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I'm curious. Is Julio still under contract or has he been franchised?5th year option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Falcon Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 If Dez holds out to fight a babysitter clause, that's like a recovering addict objecting to random drug testing at work. It wouldn't be a problem for you if you didn't have the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuggle'2 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I honestly believe Julio wasn't knocking anybody. I don't think he gives two ****s about what someone else is doing. What Julio does care about are people like Roddy and the rest of the team. It is obvious that he has a strong bond with Roddy and the other WRs. What he is saying is he is not the type of person to let those people, his friends, his comrades, his teammates down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandy Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Nah, don't think so. He was asked a question and replied honestly with this first instinct. He may think that Dez is selfish but wasn't taking a shot at him - he prolly wasn't even thinking about Dez at that time. People just like to misconstrue things.yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYNE Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 No... Julio just knows he is going to get paid regardless. Probably before the season starts so why hold out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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