Jul 28, 2025; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mason Tipton (15) is hit on a pass by safety Julian Blackmon (28) at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saints could hit absolute jackpot with late offseason free agency signing who will probably start for them this season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Holt | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 2:41 PM ET

Free agency is always a rollercoaster in the NFL. It truly bleeds into the regular season, too. For the New Orleans Saints, one of their biggest free agency moves actually came late in the process this offseason. They added to their secondary after losing one of their most beloved players.

Julian Blackmon's path from signing to starting

When Tyrann Mathieu retired, there was plenty of panic from the Saints fan base. They had just lost a key leader and starter in their secondary, not to mention a fan favorite around the city. Julian Blackmon signed not even 48 hours later, a projected replacement in the starting lineup for Mathieu.

It sounds like Blackmon is making a name for himself. He's already proven to be a good player while he spent time with the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed recent seasons - a major reason he was still available in free agency. For New Orleans, Blackmon may have been their diamond in the rough for their defensive unit.

The Julian Blackmon signing continues to look fantastic. Just had an interception on Jimmy G. Third straight practice with a pick for Blackmon, and I think that’s five in camp.
— Luke Johnson (@ByLukeJohnson) August 14, 2025

Camp reports have gleamed regarding Blackmon's performances during practices. The veteran defensive back looks healthy and determined to prove he's still an impressive starter at the NFL level. Blackmon will be just 27 years old still when the season begins for New Orleans.

Blackmon continues to make plays on the football in the passing game, and that's quite important for the Saints. Their defense, especially the secondary, lacks experience. Kool-Aid McKinstry is their top cornerback, and while he's shown flashes of becoming a legitimate CB1, he's still just a sophomore in terms of NFL experience.

Meanwhile, the retirement of Mathieu left the safety room without a lot of production, either. Justin Reid is a veteran presence and clear leader, but the rest of the depth chart at safety was incredibly unproven. Jordan Howden is ideally not a starter on defense, and Jonas Sanker is exciting - though just a rookie. Blackmon joining the unit made all the sense in the world.

We will see if Blackmon does truly lock down the starting safety role opposite Reid, but I would be stunned if that's not the case. His consistency and playmaking ability on the back end could improve the pass defense in New Orleans by a legitimate margin.

Julian Blackmon has been with the Saints for less than a week, but he’s already primed to be a starter at the spot vacated by Tyrann Mathieu at safety.

Now, he just needs to work on saying snowball. pic.twitter.com/5CGtZ2YEZt
— Garland Gillen (@garlandgillen) July 29, 2025