The Atlanta Falcons are trying to get wide receiver Julio Jones ready for the first week of the season. Jones missed considerable time during the 2013 season because of an injured right foot and underwent a “cutting-edge medical procedure” involving stem cells to help ensure his right foot will remain healthy during the 2014 season and beyond.
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The Atlanta Faclons will monitor his snaps and work load during training camp to make sure they aren’t pushing him too hard or too far, preventing him from re-injuring his foot.
“He will be limited in terms of his snaps,” Smith said Tuesday, via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Our number one goal is to make sure that we’ve got everybody as healthy as we possibly can be, but we know that we have to get these guys some work together and reps. Julio will be out there participating in practice right from the start.”
Jones is one of the league’s best wide receivers and a key player in the Falcons offense. Injuries to him and Roddy White depleted the Falcons’ wide receiving corp during the 2013 season and both players being healthy would be a big boos to their offense during the 2014 season. During the 2012 season, the only season in his three-year career where he played in all 16 games, Jones caught 79 passes for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns.