Odds say Julio Jones will begin next season with the Patriots

In yet another staggering twist in the 2021 NFL offseason, star receiver Julio Jones has publicly declared his frustration with the Atlanta Falcons and hopes to break ties with the franchise that drafted him sixth overall in 2011.

On Monday, the seven-time Pro Bowler appeared on Fox Sports' Undisputed and told Shannon Sharpe, "I'm out of there," when asked if he would play in Atlanta next season.

Since that candid remark, Jones has been linked to a number of teams, including the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, and the San Francisco 49ers, who already made one blockbuster trade ahead of April's draft.

According to odds at TwinSpires Sports, New England (+300) is the most likely landing spot for Jones next season, while Tennessee (+450) is another candidate to acquire Jones in a trade.

Albert Breer reported that Jones actually requested a trade back in March. Atlanta allegedly wanted a first-round pick in exchange for the 32-year-old wideout ahead of the draft, but were, at best, offered a second-rounder. 

Jones is set to make $15.3 million in base salary in 2021. If Atlanta trades him before June 1, it will count for $23.25 million against the Falcons' salary cap. A post-June 1 trade will lessen the cap hit, so expect a deal to come to fruition somewhere around June 2.

Jones a potential No. 1 receiver in New England

The only issue remaining for Jones is to find a franchise willing to take on the aging, injury-prone receiver's $15.3 million salary.

Such an acquisition is not unthinkable for New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Back in 2019, Belichick dipped into the Falcons' talent pool when New England traded a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for Mohamed Sanu.

You could argue a trade for Jones is right up Belichick's alley. On the other hand, the six-time Super Bowl winner may be reluctant to repeat history, considering Sanu did not pan out well in New England and was released by the franchise before the start of the 2020 season.

Nonetheless, the Patriots need a No. 1 receiver, now that Julian Edelman has retired.

The team added Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor in free agency, while also boosting the tight end position with the addition of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry. Jones would further catapult this offense and significantly boost the team's probability of making the postseason, according to CBS Sports research analyst Stephen Oh.

Smith's former team could come calling for Jones

Based on Oh's analysis, a Jones signing would also increase the Titans' playoff chances.

A trade between Atlanta and Tennessee could allow first-year Falcons head coach Arthur Smith to lure in some of the younger players he coached in Tennessee while he was offensive coordinator from 2019-20. 

The Titans need help on offense, since Jonnu Smith departed for New England, and second-leading receiver Corey Davis left for the New York Jets in free agency.

Taking on Jones' contract may not be ideal, though, if the franchise plans to offer top wideout A.J. Brown a mega-contract in the near future.

Niners could reunite Jones with Shanahan

Atlanta could also turn to another familiar acquaintance in San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who served as Jones' offensive coordinator in Atlanta during the Falcons' Super Bowl run in 2016.

In 2019, Shanahan sought out a veteran talent in Emmanuel Sanders, who helped San Francisco on its path to Super Bow LIV, where the Niners lost to Kansas City.

Jones would represent a similar type of signing and would fit in nicely with San Francisco's arsenal of talent on offense, including Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and tight end George Kittle.

In a recent interview Shanahan did not rule out the possibility of chasing after Jones, but as we learned all too well before the draft, Shanahan is skilled at keeping his cards close to his chest.   

Jones' most likely landing spot in 2021 season

Jones played just nine games last season, as he dealt with a lingering hamstring issue and played through other injuries.

Considering his recent health history and the amount of salary a team would need to absorb to attain Jones, this deal may not come as easy as the receiver would like.

The fastest player to reach 12,000 career receiving yards still has plenty to offer for a willing trade partner, and New England is most likely to take a risk on the veteran.

According to Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk, Jones is most interested in signing with the Titans or Patriots.

New England has more room to pick up Jones, whose main desire is to find a place where he can win. With all the talent New England already picked up on offense, Jones will undoubtedly celebrate a lot more victories in Foxborough.