Will Tennessee Titans Wide Receiver Julio Jones Be a Threat?

This offseason, Music City reached a fever pitch when the Tennessee Titans acquired star receiver Julio Jones from the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, expectations were already high in Nashville after five straight winning seasons. Still, it’s now safe to say that anything short of a Super Bowl appearance will be considered a disappointment by the Tennessee faithful.

And while the NFL betting odds aren’t exactly handing the Titans the trophy (currently at +2500), Titans fans believe that their window is now. Whether or not Jones is the missing piece that will take them to the next level is yet to be determined, but adding a player of his caliber certainly can’t hurt.

The Tennessee Titans Get Pedigree With Julio Jones

With Jones, you get a generational player and one of the most decorated wide receivers in NFL history. The former sixth overall pick has been putting up numbers since he came into the league in 2011.

A product of the Alabama Crimson Tide, an NFL superstar factory, Jones has racked up over 13,000 yards to go with 60 trips to the end zone in his illustrious career. Now 32, there’s fear that Jones’ best years are behind him, but he’s shown that he still has plenty left in the tank.

The Missing Ingredient?

Tennessee is one of three teams in the NFL to have a winning record in each of the last five years and the only one of the three that hasn’t made a Super Bowl appearance. The other two teams in question are the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks.

It’s easy to understand why the Titans feel like their time is now. Adding a veteran player with obvious star power to complement Derrick Henry and burgeoning stud receiver A.J. Brown is the right thing to do. Jones’ presence takes a lot of pressure off of Brown to be “the guy” and opens up a lot of space for him on the field.

We all know that Derrick Henry will get his yards, and if Ryan Tannehill keeps playing the way he has, the Titans will be one of the most balanced offenses in the league.

Ready to Break Out

It’s been a relatively slow start to the 2021 campaign for Jones, but that can be expected from a player coming to a new team and still trying to build chemistry with his new QB. Week 1 saw the Titans get hammered by the upstart Cardinals, and Tannehill spent more time on his back than he did upright, rendering the passing attack obsolete.

Jones led the team in yardage and receptions in Week 2 (6 for 128) with a win over the Seahawks before posting a modest line of 3 grabs for 47 yards last Sunday. However, the Titans got some bad news against the Colts last week, with A.J. Brown leaving the game with a hamstring injury.

Brown is currently questionable for Week 4. However, if he misses any time, the door will be wide open for Jones to carry the load and put up some big numbers.

Jones Should Have a Big Game This Weekend

This weekend, the woeful New York Jets are just what the doctor ordered for Julio Jones and the Tennessee Titans. The Jets have been nothing short of a dumpster fire this season, and rookie QB Zach Wilson is having a hard time adjusting to the NFL.

The Jets have given up 51 points in the last two games while scoring just six. So I’m banking on the Titans to pad some stats and pile up the touchdowns this Sunday, making them an excellent choice for BetMGM’s King of the Weekend Promo.