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Saints Quickly Sign Ex-Colts 5-Year Vet After Tyrann Mathieu Retirement

A busy day in New Orleans ends with a new safety
Jackson Roberts|
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Josh Reynolds (87) works to bring down Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) after he intercepted a pass Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Josh Reynolds (87) works to bring down Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) after he intercepted a pass Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints may have been caught off guard by safety Tyrann Mathieu's retirement, but they didn't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.

Matthieu decided to call it quits after a fantastic 12-year career, which included three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring. He looked set to begin his fourth year with the Saints after not missing a game in his first three, but the 33-year-old decided it was time to move on.

With training camp set to begin on Wednesday, the Saints decided they needed another safety, and fast. And they managed to find a 26-year-old who started 16 games last season in short order.

According to multiple reports, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Saints have signed former Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon. Details of the contract are not yet known at the time of publication.

Blackmon, a 2020 third-round pick, spent all five of his seasons in the NFL so far in Indianapolis. He totaled 66 games played, 300 total tackles, 10 interceptions, including a touchdown, and a 101.5 passer rating allowed in coverage.

Last season, Pro Football Focus gave Blackmon an overall grade of 69.3, which ranked 48th out of 170 qualified safeties.

Blackmon isn't a star by any means, and he doesn't have a particularly similar skill set to that of Mathieu. But he's a capable starting NFL safety, and whether he was going to be a starter or not, Mathieu was going to get a lot of snaps this year.

We'll have to see how the season plays out, but it's hard not to consider the Blackmon signing a win, considering how late in the offseason they had to find a replacement.

More NFL: Saints' Legendary 3-Time Pro Bowler Announces Sudden NFL Retirement

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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