LA Chargers: Breaking down the counterpoints of a Julio Jones trade
By Jason Reed
![ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons runs out on the field during player introductions prior to facing the Seattle Seahawks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons runs out on the field during player introductions prior to facing the Seattle Seahawks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fboltbeat-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2021-2F05-2F1272312598-850x560-b173914bf4d6414c3f921fd11d648ad5.jpg)
2. Wide receiver is not the biggest need on the LA Chargers
This is one that I was surprised to see. The argument here is that the Chargers are already solid at wide receiver and they have other needs that would be better addressed before wide receiver.
On the surface level, this is true. The Chargers do have a solid receiving corps and there are other areas of the roster that could use some TLC before the receiver position. However, this argument fails to realize two important things.
The first is that Jones, as already mentioned, is still going to be an elite wide receiver in the next three years. The other is that there is no other viable outlet to address those needs at this point in free agency.
Sure, cornerback might be a bigger need but that does not mean you pass on a Hall of Fame wide receiver, especially with the market. Are the Chargers not going to trade for Julio Jones so they can sign Richard Sherman? Like that is really going to fix anything?
The market is terrible right now in free agency and there are no big-name players at the positions of need that are on the trade market. That market just doesn’t exist and does not correlate at all with trading for Jones.
So to answer anyone’s question, yes, I would rather spend $15 million on a player who I think will have over 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 than spend $15 million combined on a fourth-string corner, fourth-string edge rusher and fourth-string guard.