One of the key returns secured in this year’s New Orleans Saints offseason came when the team secured a one-year extension with safety Julian Blackmon.
The ball-hawking safety played a strong Week 1 last year, nearly coming up with a pair of takeaways, but was unfortunately sidelined for the rest of the season with a labrum injury.
After spending a year in New Orleans throughout his recovery, Blackmon’s return is seen as a big win for the Saints.
For Blackmon, sticking around with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley comes off as a no-brainer idea. From the excitement that Staley has consistently shown about him to the long-running track record of successful safety play in his system, Blackmon has an appreciation for the opportunity to continue working with the defensive playcaller.
“There’s a lot of guys that he’s coached and he has a lot of experience with that have been able to do something,” Blackmon said. “I feel like I’m a guy that can be similar and do things that can affect the defense. That on top of the guys here. It really wasn’t too hard to be around a bunch of dudes who want to do things the right way. It makes it easier.”
As Blackmon was speaking with LouisianaSports.Net in the locker room, those very teammates he mentioned were sharing a laugh. That corner of the locker room, the defensive back corner, has become a popular spot for players across the roster to visit for debates, conversation and laughs.
That as the backdrop for Blackmon’s comment about the connection he feels with his teammates served as an appropriate setting.
Blackmon also went into more detail about why the system is so appealing as well as the important characteristics the player population must bring to the table in order to maximize their potential.
“We’re just very detailed,” he said. “A lot of defenses you can just go in and simplify, but here, we have so many caveats that put you in position to make plays if you make the right calls. So understanding the defense as a whole really can help you make plays as a safety. So that’s why you’ve got to have a lot of guys who are intelligent, high IQ guys, guys with character.”
As for the time away between minicamps and training camp, Blackmon is looking to focus on putting himself in the best physical position to make plays and be a difference-maker for the defense in 2026.
“Getting in the best shape possible,” he said of his offseason goal. “Before we started OTAs, it was doing everything that I can to be in great shape. Because I want to be all over the field, and I think that; strength, all that comes with being physically equipped to be able to run all day. So that’s what I focused on doing, being able to physically just run, because I think that that minimizes fatigue. A lot of times injuries come from being tired. So I’m gonna do everything that I can to just be the most in shape on the team. I hold myself to that standard to be able to be like that.”
