Eagles’ new WR Julio Jones wants to ‘dominate’ while still fitting in with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith
Considered a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jones says he's willing to do whatever supporting role is asked of him but that his mindset is to dominate.
Julio Jones’ first impression of Philadelphia was underscored by unusually heavy traffic.
The veteran star receiver said Wednesday that he’s staying near the Eagles’ training facility, and couldn’t believe the time it took him to travel the short commute the evening before with the Phillies, Flyers, and a friendly soccer match between Germany and Mexico occupying all three stadiums.
“It was packed,” Jones said. “It took like 20, 30 minutes just to go like a mile and a half down the road.”
Jones’ first day on the job created plenty of intrigue. Sporting the No. 80, the 34-year-old walked into the Eagles locker room alongside A.J. Brown, who he said is a “little brother” to him, and weaved through a scrum of reporters and cameras to get to his new locker stall.
Although Jones said he “definitely” had opportunities to play for other teams, he alluded to his relationship with Brown and the connections with Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith formed through their alma mater Alabama as some of the reasons he signed with the Eagles.
As for his role in the new situation, Jones said it’s too early to tell.
“It’s my first day,” Jones said. “The biggest thing for me is to go out there and learn as much as I can right now. And wherever the team needs me to fit in at, I’m willing to do it. I’m a veteran, I can move around, whatever the case may be.”
Jones spent the better part of a decade cementing himself as one of the best receivers of an era and a future Hall of Famer, but should be more of a supporting cast member rather than a star in the Eagles’ top-heavy passing attack.
The Eagles were thin on the bottom of the depth chart at receiver once Quez Watkins suffered a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve last weekend. Olamide Zaccheaus stepped into the No. 3 receiver role with special-teams ace Britain Covey behind him, but Zaccheaus is an undersized slot receiver and Covey a return specialist with limited experience in the offense.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Jones should provide depth in the room, but also made sure to mention that Zaccheaus has earned a role in the offense even with Jones in the fold.
“We’re a little banged up at wide receiver and just wanted to add some extra depth and another proven guy in there,” Sirianni said. “Quez is out for a little bit ... but I do want to take a second to say, a guy like O.Z. — the toughness that he has and how reliable he is as a player, a guy like that always has a spot on offenses that I’m going to be a part of. Always.
“So, in no indication is that a knock on O.Z. It’s just where we are, a little bit banged up, and just to get a little bit more depth in there of some guys that have played good football. Obviously, Julio, he’s a Hall of Fame player, and so he’s played good football, and we still thought the tape was good. So, excited to add him to the roster.”
At the very least, Jones should give the Eagles flexibility to deploy Brown or Smith in the slot, something they’ve shown a tendency to use in key situations. Both receivers lined up in the slot about 25% of the time last season, although Brown’s down to around 20% this season according to Pro Football Focus.
Sirianni said Brown and Smith, along with tight end Dallas Goedert, would still be the main target-getters in the passing game. The trio have accounted for 81% of the Eagles’ passing yards so far this season, up from last year’s already-heavy usage rate of 78% last season.
“Make no mistake about it,” Sirianni said. “This pass game still is going to go through DeVonta, A.J., and Dallas. So, I think that’s a little bit of a difference, right, the role he’s playing, right. More of a supporting role than a highlighted role and we’ll see how it continues to shape up. But we still know he has the ability to make plays and we’re going to need him to make plays.”
Given his production over a 12-year career, Jones may seem overqualified for third-receiver role at first blush. His numbers the last several seasons have tailed off from his years of dominance; he had 24 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season and logged 31 catches for 434 yards and one score as Brown’s running mate in Tennessee the year before.
When asked how his approach has changed since going from a bona fide No. 1 receiver to a more limited role, Jones said he’s still got the demeanor of a top dog.
“My mindset is definitely to dominate,” Jones said. “Don’t get it twisted. I’m here to dominate, but guys are already here and they’re solidified. They have their positions, right? So wherever they need me to go and be, I’m going to do that at the best of my ability.”