Saints waste no time replacing Mathieu, land former Colts standout Blackmon.
The Saints didn’t sit around feeling sorry for themselves after Tyrann Mathieu’s sudden retirement bombshell dropped Tuesday. Instead, they quickly snagged former Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon to pair with offseason acquisition Justin Reid in their revamped secondary.
Here’s the kicker – they may have actually upgraded at the position.
Blackmon isn’t just younger than the 32-year-old Mathieu; he’s coming off a season where he showed real playmaking ability. While the Honey Badger’s leadership and ball-hawking skills (he led the team in interceptions the past three seasons) won’t be easily replaced, Blackmon brings his own impressive resume to New Orleans.
Why Blackmon could be the perfect post-Mathieu solution
The 25-year-old safety was a standout performer for the Colts last season, particularly in pass coverage and as a blitzer. His overall grade of 69.3 from PFF ranked him 48th among 171 safeties – comfortably above the position average.
When you break down the numbers, they get even more impressive.
Blackmon’s coverage skills earned him a 73.5 grade (23rd among all safeties), while his pass-rushing ability netted a 69.4 mark (also 23rd). He snagged three interceptions last season, good for 12th at his position.
The Saints clearly pounced on a player who’s entering his prime.
Looking at his five-year career with Indianapolis, Blackmon has consistently made plays. He’s recorded 10 career interceptions, picking off at least one pass every season except his injury-shortened sophomore campaign when he was limited to just six games. He’s also proven to be a reliable tackler, racking up 225 solo tackles since entering the league.
Saints secondary suddenly looks stronger than expected
Whether this was brilliant planning or just fortunate timing, New Orleans hit the jackpot with the Blackmon signing. After dealing with Derek Carr’s unexpected retirement situation at QB, perhaps the football gods decided to throw the Saints a bone at safety.
The Saints now feature a Super Bowl champion (Reid) paired with a rising star (Blackmon) on the back end of their defense. That’s a combination that should help fans quickly move past the disappointment of losing Mathieu.
When Mathieu arrived from Kansas City, he brought championship experience and playmaking ability. The Saints are betting Blackmon can provide similar impact – at a younger age and potentially with his best football still ahead of him.