Falcons reportedly have steep asking price for Julio Jones

Julio Jones publicly admitted on Monday that he is hoping the Atlanta Falcons trade him, but there may be one big obstacle standing in the way of that happening — the asking price.

The Falcons are seeking a first-round pick in any potential trade for Jones, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Several teams have shown interest, but the steep price is likely why no real progress has been made toward a deal. Teams around the NFL reportedly do not believe Atlanta will get a first-round pick.

Schefter also noted that the Falcons would prefer to trade Jones to an AFC team, but they are open to sending him to either conference if the return is significant.

It had previously been reported that the Falcons may have to trade Jones to get some much-needed salary cap relief. However, we now know that Jones wants out. He reportedly approached the team about a trade several months ago, and he admitted as much on live TV on Monday. You can see that video here.

Jones has drawn interest from at least a handful of teams, but he is 32 and has battled some nagging injuries in recent years. The Falcons may have to settle for less than a first-round pick.

Photo: Lisa Ferdinando/U.S. Secretary of Defense via CC-BY 2.0