Matt Ryan, John Parker Wilson share ‘The Julio Plan’
Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, welcomes Julio Jones to the team's facilities in Flowery Branch in April. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/Dledbetter@ajc.com)
BIRDLAND — The lockout is a real bummer for the players.
But quarterback Matt Ryan is taking the bull by the horn (unlike the Hawks) and is providing the team some leadership during these turbulent times.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan before leading about 30 players through an unofficial minicamp practice on Tuesday. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/Dledbetter@AJC.com)
One of his missions is to get rookie Julio Jones up to speed. Jones, whom the Falcons traded up 21 spots to select in the NFL draft, has already been meeting with Ryan and the wide receivers.
It certainly helps that John Parker Wilson, one of Ryan’s backups, has been helping. Parker won 12 games as a senior at Alabama when Jones was a freshman.
He noted that Jones came in and learned the offense pretty fast. He said that Jones won’t have a problem learning the Falcons’ playbook, but noted that the verbiage of the play calls will be challenging.
At Alabama in 2008, Jones caught 58 passes for 924 yards and four touchdowns with Parker running the show.
“He’s gotten a lot bigger and it looks like he’s gotten a lot stronger,” Wilson said. “He was catching balls the other day, and his reach is still so amazing. It’s pretty sweet. He couldn’t run. He’s still working on his foot from when he messed that up, but he looks good. He looks really good.”
Wilson can help Ryan by telling him what routes Jones likes and what routes he runs best.
Falcons quarterbacks John Parker Wilson, Matt Ryan and Chris Redman.
“I remember watching film when I was getting ready for the combine and everything and I probably targeted him 75 percent of the time,” Wilson said. “No lie. He’s a true professional. I think he’s the real deal.”
The Falcons paid a steep price for Jones. They gave up five picks, including next year’s first and fourth round picks. When a team gives up so much for one player, there will be some additional pressure on him. Wilson believes that Jones will handle that extra pressure well.
“I think he’ll fit in really good with our team,” Wilson said. “He’s a good, hard worker, a lot like the other personalities we have on our team. I think it’s going to work well.”
It’s no secret that Jones was added to add some explosiveness to the offense.
Will that be in the form of more deep routes and throws? Or will it be in the form of the bubble and slip screens he ran at Alabama? With his 4.3 speed, we might see him on some reverses, too.
Ryan was not exactly sure how offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey plans to integrate Jones into the offense.
John Parker Wilson spinning the ball back in his Alabama days. He has special insight into Julio Jones. (Associated Press)
“It will be interesting to see,” Ryan said. “He’s a big physical guy. I think he can do a lot of things for us. I think he’ll play a big part. . . I think he can bring some unique things.”
After a stress fracture was discovered, Jones had surgery on his left foot after the combine. He was expected to have a two month recovery period and should be close to running again soon.
Ryan can’t wait for Jones to start running so that they can start working on their timing.
“I’ll be interested to finally get to work with him and seeing the skills sets he has in terms of route running,” Ryan said. “Once we kind of find out about that I think we’ll know more about how we are going to use him.”
Julio, go deep!
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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115 comments Add your comment
Seen (The Saints) This (lose to a below .500 playoff team)B4
May 14th, 2011
8:06 pm
I think I would rather get destroyed by the Super Bowl champs than lose to a below .500 playoff team coached by Pete Carroll. And the Saints D got torched just as bad as ATL’s D did. Neither Falcons fans nor Saints fans should be happy or talk trash about 2010 given how our seasons ended. I’m still p*ssed about the GB game–part of me hopes there is no football in 2011. You invest every week in a team, you get the #1 seed, and then…that happens. I (Fal)can’t imagine it’s any better from a NO perspective. They were the defending champs and had overcome a lot of injuries to get the wildcard…I’m sure they felt (rightfully so w/ that QB & coach) that they had as good a chance as anyone in the tournament…only to get into a shootout with a team that didn’t even have a winning record…that Marshon (sp?) Lynch run had to be devasting. I remember the Braves coming off their title and how it felt losing to the Yankees in the ‘96 series–how much that s*cked (and still does)…gotta be similar for NO fans last year. I guess their Lombardi trophy eased the pain…hoping we get one of our own someday…hoping this regime just wins a playoff game or two.
hiramsaint
May 14th, 2011
9:03 pm
sorry but i can’t relate- when we were the #1 seed we finished the job and brought home the trophy. with smitty and matty melt at the helm, i hope you have patience to wait for a new regime
flurrrs
May 14th, 2011
10:00 pm
Yall are about to see what a receiver on beast mode is like. Enjoy
Seen (The Saints) This (lose to a below .500 playoff team)B4
May 14th, 2011
10:17 pm
Really Hiram? All I heard was “Two-Dat” and the start of a Saint dynasty, and then you lose to a below.500 team, and you can’t even acknowledge how bad that is? Please–I know we’re “rivals” but cut the BS. The way the 2010 season ended for NO had to be horrible. Or is your comment about “when we were the #1 seed we got it done” an admission that, as the #5 seed, once you lost the NFC South title, you had no expectations?
Mystikal
May 14th, 2011
10:41 pm
For those still stuck on the draft day trade, look at it like this. Matt Ryan is our quarterback and a good one. However he is no Peyton Manning or Drew Brees (yet). Meaning he can’t make average players look like superstars. Mattie needs talent around him to be successful at this point. Yes the trade was a big gamble, but you have to take chances in this league; there are no SURE things. Look at how Brandon Marshall, Ochocinco, and Randy Moss situations panned out. Taking a chance on a DIVA receiver is a much bigger gamble. Julio is a mature talented young guy who is only going to get better. His contributions ultimately will be measured on whether the team wins and how they win. Granted we have to make some moves on defense, but with the additions of JJ and Quiz our offense should be able to do what we want whenever we want (for most part). First things first end this childish lockout that isn”t benefiting anyone and we get on with our lives.
eM
May 14th, 2011
10:51 pm
Seen (The Saints) This (lose to a below .500 playoff team)B4
May 14th, 2011
10:17 pm
Really Hiram? All I heard was “Two-Dat” and the start of a Saint dynasty, and then you lose to a below.500 team, and you can’t even acknowledge how bad that is? Please–I know we’re “rivals” but cut the BS. The way the 2010 season ended for NO had to be horrible. Or is your comment about “when we were the #1 seed we got it done” an admission that, as the #5 seed, once you lost the NFC South title, you had no expectations?
That’s just it HerpiesHiram, or is it Hi..i’llramSeenThisB4, like to talk bogus trash talk. The pathedic jerks just like to come on here and prove to the Falcon nation how stupid aints fans are. Seen talking about watching the river rise and all. They only thing he sees rising is his little joey everytime Hiram post a blog. Please some one tell them how to log onto an aints blog.
hiramsaint
May 15th, 2011
7:33 am
with all th injuries at rb we had to that point , we were hopeful but realistically we had lost all expectataions. nobody gets back after set backs like that. perhapshad we been injury free , like another team i know , we could have put on a better show. @ em- how come everytime you and the majority of the failcan fans can’t win a debate you revert to your obsessions with our urinary tract. man thats just…gay. anyway em , have a good day and keep mid town colorful but try to fantasize about something else-like a woman maybe!
Teague
May 15th, 2011
10:46 am
I’m not an NFL fan. But, for any of you with doubts about Julio, rest easy. In my 30 years of rabidly following Alabama football, I’ve never seen a player I’d rather have on my team than Julio Jones. He is the epitome of a team player. And TOUGH. He’s had a few injuries, but nothing that has kept him off the field. He’s out there every play catching passes or blowing up DB’s to allow RB’s to win Heisman trophies. He’s a physical freak. If he had gone to a pass-happy school, like Arkansas he would have had HUGE numbers. He had GOOD numbers at Bama, and never once complained or moped. He just wanted to WIN. See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8Wf0VKip4&feature=related
BigGA_BirdDawgFan
May 15th, 2011
10:51 am
Everyone who is fretting or fuming over how many picks were traded away let these phrases soothe your soul: “Free Agency” and “Arthur has a BIG checkbook” and “Arthur wants a championship as much or more than anyone else.”
hiramsaint
May 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
in regards to free agency—LOCKOUT. how soothing is that?
Game Manager
May 15th, 2011
10:31 pm
So all of a sudden Matt Ryan’s noodle arm is going to get strong enough to go deep? Julio, be prepared to come back to the football and fight the defender for the ball.
DEE-ROME
May 17th, 2011
6:19 pm
SeenThisB4 you hope for your Saints sake this offense is going to be HIGH POWERED to many weapons.
BAMA CHIK
May 19th, 2011
12:28 pm
SOOOOOOOOO ready for football season!!! Ready for the rest of the country to see what BAMA fans have known for a while…just how special Julio really is…and p.s… how cute does J.P.W. look with his hair cut!!! ROLL TIDE AND GO FALCONS!!!
kenneth
May 19th, 2011
1:42 pm
like the guy the #1 falcon fan said just win baby am with him and the owner need to get real I want some football this season now. stupid it.
Arosmith
May 19th, 2011
9:01 pm
I am very excited about this up coming season if this isn’t the year for the falcons its damn sure close