Patriots: Why did Julio Jones trade cost same as Mohamed Sanu?

New England Patriots fans thought the team was poised to make another marquee offseason addition when they were rumored as a destination for Julio Jones.

While the Patriots had the requisite cap space to land Jones, it was ultimately the Titans who acquired his services when they gave up a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-rounder for the longtime Falcons superstar this past weekend.

When you consider Jones’ mammoth contract, plus the fact he turned 32 earlier this offseason and was limited to just nine games last year with a hamstring injury, it’s easy to understand why the Patriots passed on trading for him.

However, has anyone stopped to consider that Jones cost the same as former Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu … who the Patriots traded a second-round pick for ahead of the 2019 trade deadline and proved to be an absolute disaster of an acquisition?

Look away, Bill Belichick apologists.

How did Julio Jones basically cost the same as Mohamed Sanu?

For as inconsistent as the Patriots receiving corps was last campaign, it was even worse two seasons ago in 2019. For those who don’t remember, Julian Edelman led the team in receiving with 100 receptions for 1,1187 yards and six touchdowns. Next up was James White with 72 catches for 645 yards and Philip Dorsett (!) with 29 catches for 397 yards.

It’s important to understand the Patriots were desperate for WR reinforcements, so that’s probably why they coughed up a second-rounder for Sanu, who actually made a nice career for himself with the Bengals and Falcons before thing started falling apart in 2019.

After the 2019 trade, Sanu appeared in the final eight games for the Pats. However, he contributed just 26 receptions for 207 yards on 47 targets. The former third-round pick underwent ankle surgery that offseason, which indicated he was in for a rebound campaign.

However, he arrived at training camp and looked way off the pace, juggling routine passes and appeared to be slower than he was before surgery. A few months later in September, New England confirmed the end of one of the worst trades in franchise history by releasing the veteran.

We understand the Patriots aren’t as desperate for receiving help as they were two years ago following their free agency splurge, but trading for Jones (for essentially the same price that they got Sanu in 2019), really would’ve gone a long way towards ridding the Sanu memory from fans’ minds on a permanent basis.

In any event, there’s still plenty of reason to be optimistic about the Patriots offense.

While they still lack a true No. 1 option at the position, having two star-caliber tight ends and a receiving trio of Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne should be enough weapons for Cam Newton (and eventually Mac Jones?) to help lead the Pats back into the playoffs.

Just remind yourself of that if this Jones-Sanu anomaly ever crosses your mind.

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