The offseason is winding down for the NFL, including the Indianapolis Colts, who will start training camp next week, while other teams have already begun. Preseason games will start in a few short weeks, and yet, numerous free agents are still unsigned. Of these, the biggest surprise by far is safety Julian Blackmon, who hasn't received a contract from the Colts or any other team. Could he end up with a shocking forced retirement?
As free agency began, Blackmon was considered one of the league's most in-demand free agents, and he is still being given high praise by analysts. As ESPN's Matt Bowen noted,
"Blackmon had three interceptions in 2024, and he has seven over the past two seasons. There's post and deep-half range on his tape, which fits in every system. He also has 85-plus tackles in each of the past two seasons."Matt Bowen
Yet there's another issue with Blackmon: injuries. He has had some trouble staying healthy, and while he has played well, he possibly has not been able to reach the level of performance the Colts have expected - or, at least, not well enough to make up for the time he misses off the field.
Blackmon was drafted by the Colts in 2020, and since then, he has yet to play a full season. He's also suffered a torn ACL, a torn Achilles, and a shoulder injury. And while there are reportedly teams interested - like the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles - but those teams don't seem interested in giving Blackmon a multi-year contract. Yet that's what Blackmon is allegedly looking for, and he doesn't seem willing to take a position as a back-up somewhere, either. That puts Blackmon in a tough spot.
Is he asking for too much money or too long of a contract? There's no telling for sure, but while Blackmon deserves a chance to prove his worth at training camp with someone, he may not get the opportunity if he is getting greedy. And if he is, he could end up forcing himself into a much earlier retirement than expected.