Tag: Julian Blackmon

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire put together his list of the 11 best safeties ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Coming in at No. 10 was the Indianapolis Colts’ Julian Blackmon.

Here is a snippet of what Farrar had to say about Blackmon:

“Blackmon can be deployed all over the field because he transitions so well between the slot, the box, and the deep third. And he can do all of that in the same play.”

Julian Blackmon of the @Colts had a career year as a do-it-all safety. Match at the box and slot levels, and transition to the ball as a deep defender. No touchdowns, four picks, and eight pass breakups in 2023. pic.twitter.com/ZMJDKBJFZ3

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) June 2, 2024

At the top of Farrar’s list was Kyle Hamilton, followed by Antoine Winfield Jr., and Jabrill Peppers rounding out his top three.

Blackmon put together a career season in 2023, with the majority of his snaps coming from the box for the first time in his career. After playing just 173 total snaps from the box from 2020-2022, Blackmon played 468 there last season. He also spent 308 snaps as the free safety and 175 from the slot.

“It just fits my role better, it fits my personalty better,” Blackmon said of playing in the box via Colts.com. “I’m more of a talkative person, I like to be around the ball and I like the take the ball away, and so that strong safety position in this defense, specifically, is more of that role. For me, it was kind of easy to move over there and start making those plays.”

Blackmon was a very reliable tackler, making 88 of his 95 attempts, and ranked among the best at his position in PFF’s run-stop rate metric. In coverage, Blackmon had four interceptions, two pass breakups and held opponents to under 12.0 yards per catch. Opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 57.5 when targeting him.

“I think just consistency, man,” said Blackmon when asked what’s next for him. Trying to even ultimately grow more as much as I can. You never got it, that’s what coach always says, and I agree with that. So for me the next thing is just understanding what else I can do. What more can I do and where can I put myself in better situations to make even more plays.”

Blackmon was a free agent this offseason but made his way back to Indianapolis on a one-year deal worth $3.7 million.

Blackmon’s return provides some added stability at a position group that still has questions. The free safety role will be up for grabs this summer. Through OTAs and minicamp, Rodney Thomas and Nick Cross have been rotating with the starting defense.

Even with Blackmon’s high level of play last season, the Colts’ secondary as a whole gave up too many big plays and didn’t make enough plays on the football, ranking in the bottom third of the NFL in both yards per pass allowed and pass deflections.

However, the experience gained by the young cornerback and safety groups, coupled with the continuity from 2023 to 2024, will hopefully be catalysts towards improved play this season.

“Absolutely,” said Blackmon when asked if he could see the defense improving in 2024. “I think just having the same guys being back, we just have better chemistry. Also as well as having the same coaching staff. I think guys are understanding the defense a lot more, so it’s going to allow us to make a lot more plays.”

Following Thursday’s OTA practice, the second of which was open to the media, Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon spoke with reporters.

In case you missed it, here are the highlights from that conversation. To watch the full interview, click here.

– Blackmon speaks to the continuity on the defensive side of the ball, both with the players and coaching staff will be key in improved play this season. “It’s going to allow us to make a lot more plays.”

– Blackmon on Nick Cross’ growth: “I would say verbally and just understanding football as a whole.” Blackmon adds that he’s at the point where he’s understanding everything, and “he’s doing a really great job.”

– Blackmon on the young cornerbacks: “Those guys are very talented. I’m not really worried about the corners. If I see them in press, I don’t have to worry about them. They’re just competitors.”

– As far as what’s next for Blackmon, he mentions consistency and trying to continue growing as much as he can. “For me, the next thing is just understanding what else I can do. What more can I do, and where can I put myself in better situations to make even more plays.”

– “I’m so excited,” said Blackmon on being back with the Colts. “I love this organization. I love this community. I love the guys.”

– When asked about JuJu Brents, Blackmon speaks to the importance of him being healthy and able to practice during OTAs, which helps lay the foundation going into training camp. “He can only go up from here as long as he takes those steps that he needs to.”

– Blackmon said he really started to notice last offseason that he was one of the veterans on the defense when younger players started asking him a lot of questions. “I’m glad that they can come to me and trust me.” He adds that his leadership style is by example.

– Shane Steichen mentioned that Blackmon is like the quarterback of the defense, and with that, an emphasis for Blackmon over this last year has been on being more vocal and making sure he’s communicating: “I think that’s just the next step you have to take in order to be a leader on a team. I think it’s being more vocal, being vulnerable, and just being willing to take that step.” Blackmon adds that the other defensive backs told him that they respect that he speaks up and that it helps them. “Everybody’s better when everybody’s talking and knowing what they’re doing.”

On Tuesday, the Colts made the re-signing of safety Julian Blackmon official. Over the Cap (OTC) now has those contract details.

According to OTC, Blackmon’s one-year deal is worth up to $3.7 million, with $3.19 million of it guaranteed.

Of that $3.19 million figure, $1.865 million will come in the form of a signing bonus, with $1.325 million of it as Blackmon’s base salary. He has the opportunity to earn up to $510,000 in per-game bonuses, with another $250,000 being classified by OTC as “other bonus.”

For the Colts, Blackmon’s deal for the 2024 season will count as $3.89 million towards the salary cap.

With this move now accounted for, the Colts are now projected to have $14.01 million in available cap space. This currently ranks 17th in the NFL.

In terms of effective salary cap space, which takes into account the Colts needing cap room to sign the incoming draft class, they have $9.81 million available, which also ranks 17th.

In addition to needing available cap space to sign their 2024 draft class, the Colts – and every other NFL team – will need available funds to assemble the practice squad, as well as reserves for in-season spending, so they can make any additions and account for gameday elevations from the practice squad.

With free agency at a standstill, the Colts are likely done making any signings for the time being. If GM Chris Ballard still believes there is a hole on the roster that needs to be addressed following the draft, perhaps at that time he will look to sign a veteran, but no contract at that point is going to break the bank by any means.

The return of Blackmon provides some needed stability at safety, but it still remains a need for the Colts–especially with Blackmon only back on a one-year deal. If the Colts don’t add talent to this position in the draft, they could face a similar situation next offseason, once again trying to tackle this need on the fly.

As the roster is currently constructed, Blackmon will resume his role as the strong safety, with Rodney Thomas II and Nick Cross competing for the starting free safety role–a position that could be upgraded, although this is not a very strong draft class at safety.

The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed safety Julian Blackmon, according to Jordan Schultz.

It was just last week that GM Chris Ballard menetioned that the two parties had restarted conversations.

Blackmon is coming off a career season in 2023, in which he came away with four interceptions, two pass breakups and held opponents to just 11.8 yards per catch.

Blackmon has also proven to be a reliable tackler, missing fewer than eight percent of his tackle attempts over the last two seasons and ranked among the best at the safety position in 2023 in PFF’s run-stop rate metric.

The safety position remained one of the Colts’ biggest needs. Presumably, it was going to be Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas competing during training camp for the starting free safety role but the strong safety job was up in the air.

That is now a specific role, often tasked with playing closer to the line of scrimmage, that Blackmon can again fill. He played a career high 468 snaps this past season in the box.

This re-signing gives the Colts added flexibility going into the draft. Prior to this move, drafting a safety somewhat early felt like a near must, even though this isn’t a very strong draft class. Now, Ballard can more so let the board come to him and shouldn’t feel like he has to reach.

According to Ian Rapoport, this is a one-year deal. The contract specifics have not yet been reported.

Pro Football Focus recently assigned “best landing spots” for their top 20 available free agents. Checking in at No. 8 on the list was safety Julian Blackmon, however, instead of the Colts being named as the ideal landing spot for him, PFF picked the New York Giants.

The Giants are a natural pick for Blackmon after they lost Xavier McKinney this offseason to the Green Bay Packers.

Blackmon has played all over the defensive backfield, including as a free safety, in the box, and in the slot. In 2023, he would play a career-high 468 snaps down in the box.

Blackmon has proven to be a sound tackler, missing fewer than eight percent of his 132 tackle attempts over the last two seasons. This has then translated over to making an impact in the run game, where he ranked fifth this past season in run stop rate among all safeties.

The 2023 season was also a career year for Blackmon in coverage. He held opponents to under 12 yards per catch and came away with four interceptions and two pass breakups.

Although PFF picked the Giants as the best landing spot for Blackmon, a reunion with the Colts makes an immense amount of sense. Recently GM Chris Ballard mentioned that the two parties have restarted conversations.

Without Blackmon, the Colts have a big hole at the safety position. Right now, presumably, Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas will compete for the starting free safety role, but the strong safety spot, who typically plays closer to the line of scrimmage, is up for grabs and is a role Blackmon could fill.

On top of all of that, Blackmon, of course, knows the defensive scheme well, having played in it.

Before free agency began, PFF projected that Blackmon would land a two-year deal worth $5.75 million per year, with $6 million in total guaranteed.

With Blackmon still unsigned, it’s not as if he hasn’t drawn interest from teams, but there’s clearly been a discrepancy between what teams were willing to offer and what he’s been willing to sign for.

At this stage of the game it’s difficult to know if PFF’s original contract projection remains in the ballpark or if the contract value has decreased given that the free agent market has settled.

From the Colt’s salary cap perspective, they rank 13th currently in effective cap space and likely have the means available to re-sign Blackmon.

With this being a so-so draft class at the safety position, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Ballard to try to address the need in free agency, so that he no longer feels like he has to do so right away in the draft–especially since there aren’t many immediate impact options available.