Julian Blackmon has a new role

[JAFF]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...d-FeedRedesign

INDIANAPOLIS -- Julian Blackmon broke the huddle for one of his first snaps in a new position and had his head on a swivel.

The Colts were in an organized training activities practice, and Blackmon was no longer the safety bringing security from the back line. He was now at the strong spot, which meant he was in the very heart of the youngest defense in the NFL.

But Blackmon didn't make this move just to stand around and watch. So after dropping into a zone and darting his head back and forth like an owl, the 24-year-old spotted a crossing route and a ball in flight and swooped to the inside to swat it down.


Then he started hooting.

"(Expletive) no! (Expletive) no!" he screamed.

This is the life Blackmon is going to chase in his contract season. At all times, he's going to let you know he's there.

Indianapolis Colts strong safety Julian Blackmon is one of the most vocal players on the team.
"It's fun to trash talk," Blackmon said. "That's my main thing. It brings a little bit of energy and a little bit of juice. I also hope that the offense is like, 'OK, he's going to talk. I'm going to go bombs on this dude.' That's the goal. I'm trying to get them to also amp it up."


For as long as his body has allowed him to be on the field since the Colts made him a second-round pick out of Utah in 2020, Blackmon has brought juice to his teammates. It's just had a limited effect due to 16 missed games, the distant position of a single-high safety and the role that fluctuated last year during Rodney Thomas II's emergence. Late last season, he found his way on the field as the nickel cornerback in place of an injured Kenny Moore II.

That experience set into motion the switch that's happening now. Blackmon got to play closer to the box and have an attacking role on run plays. He could stare into the eyes of opposing tight ends and slot receivers, predict and influence their movements and communicate those to a secondary growing younger by the week.


"It's more productive, honestly," Blackmon said. "... At free safety, it's more instinctual. At strong, you're much more vocal. I just have to pay attention to my keys and understand what I'm supposed to be looking at pre-snap.

"It's a chance for me to show what I really can do."


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This offseason has taken that youth movement up a few notches. The Colts traded 32-year-old Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys and also let 28-year-old Brandon Facyson and 32-year-old Rodney McLeod walk.

McLeod made this transition a year ago, having just signed with the Colts after 10 seasons spent primarily as a free safety with the Eagles and Rams. He became a fit in the communicator role of Gus Bradley's Seattle-style defense because of his aggressiveness and instincts, and he posted career highs in games, tackles and passes defensed.

Julian Blackmon hopes to make more plays with the Indianapolis Colts now that he'll be closer to the ball as the team's strong safety.
Like McLeod, Blackmon will have to tailor his play as a smaller safety at 6-foot and 187 pounds. But now he has a roadmap.

"I just go through the film and watch what he did, how productive he was," Blackmon said. "I do take it upon myself to lead these guys."

The Colts are set to have one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL. Thomas II is in his second year, as is strong safety Nick Cross, whose role is now up in the air. They could play three draft picks in Kansas State's JuJu Brents, South Carolina's Darius Rush and Texas A&M's Jaylon Jones. Only Moore II is on a veteran contract, and he's 27.


Moore II is a communicator in his own ways, but he's not wired as a trash talker or booming voice the way Blackmon always has been. That energy got lost sometimes in imposing road stadiums when he played so far back.

Now, he'll be right in your ear.