Thumbs up or down? Eagles beat writers weigh in on the Julio Jones signing

Do the Eagles have more pressing needs in the secondary than adding a wide receiver to the mix? Sure. But depth at receiver has always been a concern dating back to training camp, and general manager Howie Roseman can walk and chew gum when it comes to bolstering the roster at multiple positions.

With slot receiver Quez Watkins headed to injured reserve, there isn’t much depth behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the outside. On the active roster, Olamide Zaccheaus has mostly been used as a slot receiver with the Eagles and last season with the Atlanta Falcons. Britain Covey is their punt returner and has never been targeted on 31 offensive snaps in two seasons.

So, why not give 34-year-old Julio Jones a try? There aren’t many free-agent receivers out there who are better than him despite his age, and there certainly aren’t many (or any) who have the experience with existing players in the room such as his former teammates in Brown with the Tennessee Titans and Zaccheaus with the Falcons.

While Jones dealt with a knee injury last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he played 10 regular-season games, racking up 299 yards and two touchdowns on 24 receptions. He had roughly 30 yards per game, which would rank fourth behind Brown, Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert on the 2023 Eagles. By comparison, running back D’Andre Swift has had 19.2 receiving yards per game, Zaccheaus has had 12.3, and Watkins has had 7.

Once Jones gets into shape while on the practice squad, he can provide depth on the outside. He could also give the Eagles the flexibility to move Smith into the slot for certain matchups. (Last season, Smith took 160 snaps in the slot and 477 split out wide, according to Pro Football Focus.) This seems like a low-risk, moderate-reward signing by Roseman.

As long as the Eagles aren’t expecting Jones to turn back the clock about five years, this signing makes plenty of sense.

The 34-year-old is no longer one of the most dominant players in the league and figures to be the fourth option to help balance out a top-heavy passing attack led by Brown, Smith, and Goedert. Jones is a well-respected player who shouldn’t need long to gain trust from quarterback Jalen Hurts, and he already has a history with Brown and a common Alabama thread with Smith.

He will give the Eagles a capable outside receiver in 11-personnel, which is something they lacked once Watkins went on injured reserve with a hamstring injury last weekend. Jones’ presence will restore the option to put either Brown or Smith in the slot for favorable matchups. Zaccheaus had some bright moments in the first six games, but at 5-foot-8 he wasn’t as much of a threat on the outside.

Maybe Jones can turn in a vintage performance in a key moment like he did for the Buccaneers in last year’s wild-card round when he had seven catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Otherwise, I’d expect him to be in a somewhat limited role and make a few dozen catches with the hopes of finally winning a championship.

Either way, Jones is an upgrade at the No. 3 receiver spot and has the cred to join the wide receiver room without upsetting the dynamic.

Some might argue exactly how much is left in the tank for Jones, who joins his fourth team in four seasons. But by adding the future Hall of Fame receiver, the Eagles gain a savvy veteran who boasts relationships with several of the team’s top stars, including fellow wide receivers Brown and Smith.

The Eagles’ offensive game plan won’t change much, if at all, with the Jones addition. The passing game, by and large, will still run through Brown, Smith, and Goedert. However, Jones will provide experience and leadership that can’t be quantified. The seven-time Pro Bowler will obviously need to accept his role as a reserve option. But the bar at WR3 is noticeably low after Watkins recorded just four catches and 21 receiving yards before he recently landed on injured reserve with a nagging hamstring injury.

Jones is a former teammate of Brown (Titans) and Zaccheaus (Falcons), which should help spark instant chemistry within the group. Smith also has praised Jones, a fellow Alabama alumnus, and listed him among his top role models.

In coach Nick Sirianni’s tenure, the Eagles have done a commendable job at managing the workloads of their veteran players, especially later in the regular season. That’ll certainly be the approach with Jones, 34, who has been limited over the last couple of years with different injuries. But with his 903 career receptions, 13,629 receiving yards, and 63 touchdowns, it’s difficult to fault either party considering the low-risk, high-reward valuation.