Saints get head start on NFL free agency by locking up key veteran before any other team had chance to sign him
New Orleans took advantage of some bad luck from this season.
While NFL free agency hasn’t truly kicked off yet, teams can negotiate deals with impending free agents. The New Orleans Saints just proved that with their latest move.
Safety Julian Blackmon is back in the fold for the black and gold after some bad luck ended his season far too early in 2025.
Saints reward Julian Blackmon with extension after season-ending injury
The veteran safety impressed the Saints staff over the summer and presented some depth at the safety position. Then, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the season opener for New Orleans. New Orleans has signed him to a new one-year contract extension, via reports.
While that did open the door for rookie safety Jonas Sanker, it also forced him into action on defense earlier in his pro career than the team probably would have preferred. Sanker played well, all things considered, so I would not expect him to lose a role in 2026 to Blackmon.
Although, the experienced defensive back is a cheaper option due to his injury history and already possesses familiarity with the defensive staff and his surrounding talent. We will see how Blackmon carves out a role for next year.
In 2024, Blackmon opened all 16 games he played in for the Colts and recorded 86 tackles (62 solo), a split sack, three interceptions, four pass breakups and one fumble recovery to tie for the team lead in picks and takeaways (four). — New Orleans Saints
The NFL’s “legal tampering” period for free agency begins on March 9, 2026, at noon ET.
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