When Howie Roseman opted to trade away CJ Gardner Johnson for a pick swap and Kenyon Green, it created a major need at safety for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now sure, technically the team has multiple quality safeties on the roster, from incumbent starter Reed Blankenship to 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown, plus Tristin McCollum, Lewis Cine, and maybe even Avonte Maddox, who is technically a free agent but could return this fall, but is that collection really proven outside of the Middle Tennessee product? Should the Super Bowl Champions trust that collection of players when the live bullets start to fly?
Needless to say, fans want to see Roseman bring some more talent to town, either in free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft, and in his latest free agency roundup, NFL.com’s Nick Shook has the ideal man for the job: ex-Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon.
“The Eagles shipped out versatile safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson earlier this month as part of a number of defensive departures,” Shook wrote. “Blackmon is a proven baller, needs a job, and deserves a chance to play for a contender. Vic Fangio is also a proven expert at fitting versatile players like Blackmon into the perfect roles and maximizing the return. This pairing almost feels too obvious. We can’t keep letting the Eagles get away with this!”
Originally drafted in the third round out of Utah, Blackmon is a popular name within the Eagles fandom because he checks so many boxes Philadelphia is looking for at the position. Blackmon overlapped during his rookie year with Nick Sirianni in Indianapolis, has played for Shane Steichian, who is a former Philly coach, and has experience playing in multiple different defensive schemes in the NFL due to coaching changes.
Like CJGJ, Blackmon can play either safety spot, has versatility to move around the field, and can even moonlight in the slot if a team is running no-huddle and shifts a running back out to interior wide receiver. Throw in the fact that, at this point, a long-term contract is likely off the table, and Blackmon may be willing to take an Azeez Ojulari-style contract to take a shot at winning a Super Bowl in this, his sixth professional season.
Will it happen? Will the Eagles sign Blackmon and head into the 2025 NFL Draft with no obvious holes on their roster, thus allowing them to go best player available? Only time will tell, but if no long-term deals are on the table, Philly is likely one of the more attractive options for the Blackmon’s camp this year, and a deal could come together accordingly as a result.
The post Eagles urged to sign ex-Colts safety after CJ Gardner-Johnson trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.
