Julio Jones already making presence felt in Eagles WR room, reviving A.J. Brown connection from years ago

PHILADELPHIA — The presence of Julio Jones is already affecting the Philadelphia Eagles’ vast receivers. In their house of the NovaCare Complex locker room, Jones is congregating with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith prior to the 3 burst into laughter. 

They get in combination to talk once more, then Jones heads towards his locker with Brown and Smith laughing. On the out of doors, Jones is reserved and quiet. Or so it sort of feels.

“Oh, he’s a clown,” Brown stated with a large smile. “He’s a jokester, he enjoys himself. He always adds great energy, too. From the outside world, you may think he’s very quiet — but he’s a big kid.” 

The Eagles have undoubtedly felt the presence of Jones after simply 3 practices with the staff. While Jones has been a shadow of his former self over the previous few years because of accidents, the 34-year-old long run Hall of Famer is getting a recent get started with Philadelphia. 

Jones has quite a lot of wisdom to provide and Eagles vast receiving crew that does not have a participant at the energetic roster over 26 years previous. In phrases of revel in, Brown’s 5 NFL seasons are tied with Olamide Zaccheaus for essentially the most of any of the wideouts at the energetic roster. 

“From the vet standpoint, I was the oldest vet in the room,” Brown stated. “But now that you have someone here that’s a Hall of Fame receiver, he can really just tell you anything and everything. They’re gonna believe him more than me! He’s seen it all.

“If you do not concentrate to him, you are silly. I’m simply gonna name it what it’s.” 

Jones and Brown had been in combination in Tennessee, spending the 2021 season in combination prior to heading their separate techniques. The Titans traded Brown to the Eagles and opted to not re-sign Jones, who would finally end up with the Buccaneers. 

While Brown had not anything to do with bringing Jones to Philadelphia, the explanation Brown is the participant he’s as of late is on account of the way in which Jones performed. Brown admitted he was once scared to play the sport prior to looking at Jones terrorize defenses on fall Sundays. 

“Before I started talking to Julio, I said he taught me everything he knew without even talking to him,” Brown stated. “That’s how much I studied his game. The way I play the game of football is from him. You don’t get the way I play if Julio Jones don’t lace up those cleats.”

Jones additionally sees a large number of Brown in him as smartly, however the bond between them is deeper than soccer.  

“A.J.’s an amazing talent,” Jones stated. “Big frame, broad shoulders. Can make amazing contested catches. Just the way he plucks the ball and everything and the way he comes to work. He’s only gonna continue to keep getting better. It’s just about being consistent. 

“He’s simply a perfect man off and on the sphere. A large number of other folks actually do not get to understand us as gamers. You see us after we play at the box, however the way in which we have interaction [with] one some other, the way in which we care about one some other, the way in which we care about issues in existence. It’s about getting to understand the participant and the individual as smartly.”

If it wasn’t for Jones, in all probability Brown pursues a occupation in baseball and carves a Hall of Fame trail in some other recreation. The Eagles undoubtedly had been the beneficiary of Brown deciding to play soccer. 

Now they have got the participant accountable for Brown pursuing an NFL occupation. The Eagles are hoping Jones has some fuel left in the tank to dominate defenses yet another time, even if that may not essentially be his function in the offense. 

“I don’t wanna speak for him, but he’s gonna help us,” Brown stated. “I’m gonna let his play speak for himself.”

They’ll get their first glance Sunday evening after they welcome the 5-1 Miami Dolphins to the city.