Indispensable Julian Blackmon Returns To Prove Himself Again
INDIANAPOLIS – One could make the case the longest in-house free agent to return to the Colts in 2024 might also be the most indispensable.
Julian Blackmon took his time in experiencing his free agency, but ultimately didn’t receive the desired market he was looking for at a safety position that had quite a bit of depth this offseason.
So Blackmon is back with the Colts, playing in another contract year, and don’t let his indecisiveness this offseason cloud how important he is to this football team.
“This was home, and this is the place where it started and it this is the place I want to finish if I can,” Blackmon shared after re-signing with the Colts. “Everybody knows how free agency went this year for safeties. We just wanted to be patient with the whole process and we were able to come up with something that everybody was happy with.
“It’s a one-year deal. For me, I feel like my value is worth more than one year but unfortunately we all saw how the market went. It was what I was dealt. I’m happy with how it ended up.”
If you need a reminder of Blackmon’s value, (grab a drink and) rewatch the Colts crushing Week 18 loss to the Texans.
C.J. Stroud wasted zero time testing the loss of Blackmon, and did it routinely in the direction of top wideout Nico Collins.
Blackmon’s strength in communication might be his greatest asset in a safety/defensive back room littered with unproven players.
Future questions about Blackmon and the Colts remain, but no one should deny how vital he is to the secondary improving in 2024.
Another aspect to Blackmon’s game that makes him interesting is his versatility. Initially a college cornerback, Blackmon started his NFL career as a free safety. The Colts asked him to play strong safety last season and he flourished with a career campaign.
But a late-season injury ended Blackmon’s contract year on Christmas. And that health question lingers for Blackmon to prove.
“I would say the next step is honestly to finish,” the former third-round pick says. “I feel like I’ve started out strong and I’ve gotten to the end, but I haven’t finished. For me, I think that everybody else knows it too, one of the things that I want to do is play 17 games. I think that, more than just from a leadership aspect, I think being on the field for my teammates is something that I want to be able to do.”
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