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28	August 2018

his favorite receiver during OTAs

Matt Ryan barked out a play Cheap Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , took the snap and zipped a pass to the receiver who played his college ball at Alabama.

Nope, it wasn't Julio Jones.

He's sitting out the team's voluntary offseason program. So it was Calvin Ridley 鈥?a first-round draft pick from the Crimson Tide 鈥?who got a chance to shine during a 90-minute practice Wednesday.

But, for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, it was impossible to ignore the absence of No. 11.

So, where's Julio?

The Falcons say it's no big deal, even as they talk constantly about the importance building camaraderie and trust in each other during the voluntary offseason workouts, a big part of coach Dan Quinn's much-ballyhooed "Brotherhood ."

Jones said his absence has nothing to do with any hard feelings toward the only team he's played with in the NFL, but he's vague about his reasons for staying away and it seems fairly obvious that he's trying to send a message about his desire for a new contract.

While Jones still has three seasons remaining on the last deal he signed 鈥?a five-year, $71.3 million extension with $47 million in guaranteed money 鈥?his average salary is now less than at least a half-dozen receivers around the league. Most tellingly, recent deals with Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and Cleveland's Jarvis Landry seemed to set a whole new financial bar for the NFL's top pass catchers, a list that certainly includes Jones.

In addition, he surely took note when the Falcons made quarterback Matt Ryan the league's NFL's first $100 million man , agreeing to a new deal that assures the quarterback of at least that much in guaranteed money and could average out to as much as $30 million annually over five seasons.

Rarely flustered, Ryan got a bit testy when asked about missing out on a chance to work with his favorite receiver during OTAs.

"We'll have our chances to work together," the QB said. "I'm not going to go into it more than that. It's not really anybody else's business."

Jones has gone silent on social media and hasn't spoken in months to the Atlanta media, but he did provide some reassuring words to Falcons fans when the gossip site TMZ caught up with him last weekend as he was leaving a swanky restaurant in West Hollywood .

"Everyone wants a story right now. There's no story to be told," Jones insisted. "I'm just working on getting myself better. I'm just working on myself right now. That's all that is. There's no bad blood between me and the team or anything like that."

Jones insisted that he plans to remain with the Falcons for the rest of his career Uchenna Nwosu Jersey , echoing a sentiment expressed by owner Arthur Blank.

"Everybody on the outside (is) trying to look in and trying to destroy what we built there," Jones said. "I'm not going nowhere. I'll be there. I love the team. I love the organization. I love everybody there. I'm good."

Still, Jones' decision to skip OTAs has been a major topic of conversation around Atlanta, with fans and sports talk radio weighing in almost daily on his future with a team that reached the Super Bowl during the 2016 season and the second round of the playoffs last season.

Everyone can rest easy, Quinn insisted.

Jones has assured his coach that he'll be at the team's mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 12-14.

"The guys who are really close to him, obviously they keep up," Quinn said outside the locker room after practice. "It's not like they don't hang out and talk on the phone and do stuff together. They may not be spending the amount of time here, in the building, that they normally do. But that doesn't mean they don't spend time away from here. So, no issues on our end.

"I know he's working really hard. I've had contact with him, obviously. We can't wait to get him back, here, with the guys. But he's really putting good work in. I think we'll see the results of that work, hopefully soon."

The 29-year-old Jones is a huge weapon in the Falcons' offense , using his rare combination of speed, size and power to shake off constant double-teams. Last season Cheap Derwin James Jersey , he had 88 catches for 1,444 yards 鈥?his fourth straight season with at least 80 receptions and 1,400 receiving yards. In 2015, he had one of the greatest seasons ever by an NFL receiver 鈥?136 catches (tied for the second most in league history behind Marvin Harrison's 143) and 1,871 yards (surpassed only by Calvin Johnson's record of 1,954) .

Ryan certainly recognizes the bond he has with his favorite receiver.

They've been together since 2011. They won't be any trouble getting back in sync, Ryan said confidently.

As soon as Jones shows up, that is.

"No concern," Ryan said. "He's always been extremely well prepared coming into seasons, going into games. Talk about being on the same page: we've played together for a long time. When he's healthy and he feels good , like he does right now ... it's very easy to get on the same page. He's so talented. So, we're fine."

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at s://apnews/search/paul%20newberry

PORTLAND, Ore. � The Portland Trail Blazers must try to slow down Anthony Davis. The New Orleans Pelicans must do what they can to control Damian Lillard.

The seemingly impossible task becomes the ultimate challenge as each player leads his team into a first-round playoff series that opens Saturday night at Moda Center.

Portland (49-33) is the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and New Orleans (48-34) the No. 6 seed. Only one game separated the teams through a wild, competitive regular season, with spots going down to the final day.

The 6-foot-11 Davis and the 6-foot, 3-inch Lillard play different positions, but they�re both likely first-team All-NBA selections this season. Davis is in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player Award Authentic Sampo Ranta Jersey , too.

Davis finished second in the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game, was fifth in rebounds (11.1) and led the league in efficiency rating at 33.0. After fellow �Twin Tower� DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season in late January with an Achilles tendon injury, Davis carried the load for a New Orleans team that went 20-8 since Feb. 10, winning its last five games.

�Losing a player like DeMarcus changes your team, but they still have Anthony Davis out there,� Lillard said. �That�s a good problem to have. He�s one of the very best players in our league. Anybody guarding him is going to have a tough time. He can handle the ball, shoots the 3, hit pull-ups and floaters and go coast to coast.�

Portland coach Terry Stotts is expected to use both 7-foot center Jusuf Nurkic and 6-foot-9 Al-Farouq �Chief� Aminu to defend Davis, who had 36-point games in the two full contests he played against the Blazers this season. Davis and Aminu played two seasons together in New Orleans in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

�Chief has the height and length to do a good job on (Davis),� Lillard said. �Plus he has the understanding how to guard guys, and he played with him, so he�s familiar with his tendencies. But it�s going to take a team effort. We�re going to have to be ready to play physical with him.�

�There are a lot of good players in this league,� Nurkic said. �He�s one of them. I�m not worried about Anthony Davis. He�s going to make his shots. He�s probably going to get his points. We need to worry about the rest of the team. Some of the other guys, like (Nikila) Mirotic, can have an impact. I�m more worried about one of those guys getting hot, because they have a lot of shooters.�

Lillard tied for fourth in the NBA in scoring at 26.9 points a game, was 10th in assists (6.6) and 11th in efficiency rating at 25.0. He combines with CJ McCollum (21.4-point average Arden Key Jersey Elite , 19th in the NBA) to form one of the most potent backcourt combinations in the league.

�You have to work as hard as you can defensively and hope they are not having one of those great nights they�re capable of having,� New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. �Dame is one of the best clutch players in the league. I feel like he�s been an All-Star the last five, six years. He has a way about him, a confidence about him, that he feels like when his team needs a basket the most, he can go get it.�

Davis said he holds great respect for the Blazers but isn�t just happy to be in the playoffs.

�It starts with their guards,� he said. �They are a handful. They can score at will. They�re a good defensive team. We have to make sure we don�t turn the ball over, take care of the defensive boards and play defense.

�Our goal is to not just get in the playoffs, but to make some noise. We want to try to get one, maybe both, of the games (in Portland), then go back home and take care of business.�

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