Buffalo Bills: Would Julio Jones make Patriots contender in the AFC East?

One of the top storylines this offseason will be if the Atlanta Falcons trade Julio Jones and to where? While the Buffalo Bills are not likely a logical landing spot considering the depth at the position and the salary cap implications, the team should be paying close attention to where Julio Jones ends up.

One of the reasons is that one of the teams Jones reportedly wants to go to is a division rival. It was reported last week by Michael Holley that Julio Jones really wants to play with Patriots quarterback Cam Newton.

This is interesting for a number of reasons most notably being that there is not a guarantee that Cam Newton is going to be the starter this year. He did return to the Patriots this offseason with a new one-year deal. However, the Patriots also used their first round pick on quarterback Mac Jones, who should come in and compete for that starting job this year.

If the Patriots were to trade for Julio Jones, it would likely indicate that they are in win-now mode and they believe they have a roster that can compete with the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title. The Patriots have been aggressive in free agency this offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball, with additions like Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, and Nelson Agoholor to try and close the gap with the Bills.

However, they lack a true number one wide receiver which is exactly what Jones could bring if they were to trade for him.

If the Patriots were to trade for Julio Jones, they would undoubtedly get better. However, the Patriots’ chances to surpass the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East this season is ultimately going to hinge on how the quarterbacks perform.

They will need Cam Newton to improve significantly from what he showed last year or hope that Mac Jones is ready to take over as the starter. By having Julio Jones in this offense, it will certainly help, but their division chances rest squarely on their quarterbacks.