49ers news: What would it cost to trade for Julio Jones?

What would it cost the 49ers if they somehow engineered a trade with the Falcons for Julio Jones?

On the surface, it would be fantastic if the San Francisco 49ers could somehow pull off a blockbuster trade for seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, whose days with the Atlanta Falcons are apparently numbered.

Jones wants out. The Falcons want to clear cap space amid what could be a lengthy rebuild.

Not surprisingly, the Niners are viewed as a prime fit, namely, because of their own receiving-depth needs, a Super Bowl window and the fact both of Jones’ first-team All-Pro years with Atlanta came when head coach Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator there.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Atlanta has “discussed several trade offers” for Jones and are entertaining one that includes a first-round NFL Draft pick:

San Francisco, of course, doesn’t have a first-round pick in either of the next two drafts, having used those as ammunition to trade up in the 2021 draft for quarterback Trey Lance.

It’s surely possible the report from Russini, citing sources, is a move by the Falcons to get other teams in the mix for Jones to up their offer prices, which is a frequent strategy from front offices in all matters like this one.

And it’s just as possible another team has offered Atlanta a first-round pick in exchange for the 32-year-old Jones, and the Falcons are merely waiting to see if another better offer will soon be put on the table.

If the latter is true, one can all but cross the 49ers off the list of teams likely willing to bid on Jones.

But if the Niners are very much in play, what would it ultimately cost San Francisco?

What the 49ers probably would have to give up for Julio Jones

Niner Noise already speculated some possible trade packages for Atlanta’s star receiver, and they all would involve multiple draft picks along with some probable player movement from the 49ers’ side of things.

Read More: 3 trade packages 49ers could offer for Julio Jones

But a panel of ESPN writers created their own mock-bidding scenario involving the Falcons and four other teams, one of them being the Niners.

Ironically enough, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner’s mock San Francisco won out, which sent a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Falcons, thereby beating out the mock offers from the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.

ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, acting on behalf of Atlanta, described why he chose the 49ers’ offer:

"The San Francisco deal was the simplest but also made the most sense. The Falcons acquire two picks that can help reshape the roster or offer Fontenot draft capital to maneuver the next two years. It gave, to me, the best return of the offers put out there."

If a second-round pick, essentially admitting the fourth-rounder is proverbial “chump change,” is the max it would require for the Niners to acquire Jones, it’s a no-brainer.

But nearly every team in the league should be jumping at the chance to onboard Jones if that’s all it would take.

This is why the likely offer sheet from San Francisco would have to be higher, perhaps multiple second- and third-round picks to outbid some of the other teams also looking to land a player of Jones’ caliber.

Probably something in the realm of a 2022 second- and third-round pick along with a 2023 third-round pick, and even that might not come close to outbidding another team willing to offer up a Round 1 selection, as Russini’s report suggested.

Again, this is another reason why fans shouldn’t be overly excited about the idea the 49ers somehow pull off a trade for Jones.

While it would be fantastic and awesome, it still doesn’t seem likely the Niners are able to offer up enough for Jones’ services in 2021 and beyond.