Saints Sign Former Colts Safety Julian Blackmon After Tyrann Mathieu’s Retirement
The New Orleans Saints quickly moved to address their sudden need at safety following Tyrann Mathieu’s unexpected retirement.
Mathieu, who retired after an illustrious 12-year career, including three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl victory, was set to begin his fourth season with the Saints. However, the 33-year-old decided it was time to step away, leaving New Orleans in need of a replacement with training camp starting soon.
In response, the Saints signed former Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon. The 26-year-old Blackmon started all 16 games last season and was available on short notice. According to reports, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Blackmon has agreed to a deal, though contract details have not been revealed.
A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Blackmon has spent all five of his seasons with the Colts. Over that time, he has appeared in 66 games, recorded 300 tackles, 10 interceptions (including one touchdown), and allowed a passer rating of 101.5 in coverage.
Last season, Blackmon earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 69.3, ranking 48th out of 170 qualifying safeties.
While not a star and differing in playing style from Mathieu, Blackmon brings solid experience as a starting safety. Given that Mathieu was expected to play a significant role this season, the Blackmon signing seems like a solid move, especially considering the timing so late in the offseason.
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