Blackmon is 25 and fresh off a season with four interceptions
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting former Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. This comes on the heels of a recent report stating that Talanoa Hufanga isn’t guaranteed to start in 2024.
Blackmon, a former third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has made 46 starts in the past four seasons. He started 15 games last season with the Colts, where he allowed a completion percentage of 50 percent and only 5.9 yards per target. Blackmon also had four interceptions and three pass breakups.
One issue that popped up with Hufanga was his missed tackles. Per Sports Info Solutions, Blackmon’s missed tackle rate was 12 percent, with an average depth of tackle at 3.3 yards on 88 tackles. That tells us he’s making plays around the line of scrimmage. For comparison’s sake, Hufanga’s missed tackle rate was 13.8 percent, with his aDOT at four yards.
The Colts used Blackmon as an occasional pass rusher. He blitzed 21 times, which speaks to his versatility.
The issue with Blackmon is one that likely scares teams away: He hasn’t played a full season since he was drafted. Blackmon tore his ACL in 2019 and suffered a torn Achilles in 2021. He was placed on the Injured Reserve in December 2023 with a shoulder injury that cost him the final two games of the season.
He’s coming off his best season as a pro, where he was the healthiest — but his extensive injury is difficult to ignore.
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