Fans who were able to watch both the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings play this preseason would almost certainly say that Alex Johnson looked to be in far better shape than Mekhi Blackmon. But Chris Ballard’s opinion matters a lot more than those of the fans, and he apparently thought otherwise.
On Monday, the day before rosters need to be cut to 53 players, Ballard released Johnson and traded away a sixth-round draft pick to Minnesota to acquire Blackmon. Colts' fans may safely assume that several cornerbacks – Charvarius Ward, Jaylon Jones, Juju Brents, Kenny Moore, and Xavien Howard – are virtual roster locks. But based on this trade, the only thing we can say with 100% certitude is that Mekhi Blackmon will be on the Colts’ final roster.
That is a statement no one was making as late as Monday afternoon.
Who is new Indianapolis Colts' Mekhi Blackmon?
Blackmon is entering his third year after being chosen in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. He had a very promising rookie season in Minnesota, playing more than 400 defensive snaps and accounting for 41 tackles. His lone interception came off of Jameis Winston late in the fourth quarter of a game against New Orleans, helping the Vikings preserve a one-touchdown lead.
A few weeks later, Blackmon recovered a Hunter Renfrow fumble when Las Vegas was in the red zone in what would eventually be a 3-0 Vikings win. His sure tackling and knack for big plays made it appear that Blackmon would be an important part of Minnesota’s defense going forward.
That all came crashing down last July when Blackmon tore his ACL and was ruled out for the year. Coming back this season, he looked somewhat rusty in preseason, though most projections had him sticking with a weakened Vikings secondary. Now, it appears he will instead be sticking with an injury-depleted Colts’ back end.
Blackmon can be an awkward fit for a defense. He has the length and speed to play the perimeter, but his slight frame can be a problem when trying to stay with bigger outside receivers. Despite that frame, he has always been known as a good tackler, a trait which should make the slot a better fit. But he rarely played inside in college, and so learning the slot position has been something of a transition.
Alex Johnson looked very comfortable playing the slot during the preseason, and it is hard to rationalize what Ballard sees in a player returning from a serious knee injury that has him elevated above a player who has performed quite well this month.
Perhaps the Colts prefer Blackmon’s NFL experience to Johnson’s unproven potential. Blackmon, before his injury showed he could play in the pros.
Or perhaps they view Blackmon as a more versatile defender, able to play inside or out. Whatever the rationale, Mekhi Blackmon is now part of an evolving Indianapolis cornerback corps, and he will start showing whether the Colts’ GM made the right call in as little as two weeks, when the Indy secondary will be defending, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and the rest of the Miami Dolphins dangerous passing attack.