Falcons Finalizing Contract Extension With Julio Jones [UPDATE]

Heading into training camp, both Julio Jones and the Atlanta Falcons’ front office expressed their desire to get a contract extension done for Jones before the regular season started. Thursday raised some questions about if the Falcons would meet that deadline after Jones gave a vague answer about whether or not he’d play on Sunday should he not have a new contract.

Worry not, Falcons fans. Tom Pelissero reports Atlanta and Jones are finalizing a contract extension that will make Jones the highest-paid receiver in the NFL (again).

Michael Thomas was the most recent big-name receiver to sign a new extension and became the first $100 million wideout in New Orleans. Jones, who still has two years left on his contract and was slated to make about $20 million in salary over that span, will be topping those numbers with his new contract. The extension will be worth about $66 million over three years, per Ian Rapoport, and Jones will make $22 million per year.

Well-deserved. When healthy, there’s no receiver more dominant than Jones. The Falcons took another step to ensure Jones remains in Atlanta for the remainder of his career.

UPDATE: The final numbers are in, per Adam Schefter. Record numbers for a non-QB.