Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis during the Jimmy Graham retirement at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saints Lock in Julian Blackmon; Now What?

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jan 21, 2026 2:17 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints clearly aren't waiting around this offseason.

New Orleans has momentum after a strong second half of the 2025 season. The Saints already have one good deal under their belt as the franchise announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed safety Julian Blackmon to a one-year deal after missing the vast majority of the 2025 campaign.

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"New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced today that the club has signed safety Julian Blackmon to a one-year contract extension," the team announced. "Blackmon, 6 feet, 202 pounds, is a six-year NFL veteran who was originally selected in the third round (85th overall) by the Indianapolis Colts out of Utah in the 2020 NFL Draft."

The Saints made a good move to bring him to town last offseason after Tyrann Mathieu retired, although fans didn't get to see the full impact as he played in just one game in 2025. This is a good start to what could be a big offseason.

With Blackmon now in the fold for 2026, what should the Saints do next? Let's take a look

Next Steps For Saints

Keep The Early Extensions Coming
The Saints have a handful of free agents to think about this offseason. The veteran trio of Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, and Taysom Hill are all pending free agents along with cornerback Alontae Taylor. This will be the 27-year-old corner's first opportunity in free agency. An early extension doesn't seem likely, although the Saints should try. If the franchise could sign at least Jordan and Davis to extensions for the 2026 season before hitting the open market, that would be a win.

Prioritize Adding Offensive Weapons Early In 2026 NFL Draft
The Saints have the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and the No. 42 pick in the second round of the draft, among other picks. If the Saints could come away from the first two rounds with a receiver and potentially a running back, that would go a long way. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. shared a new mock draft projecting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson to New Orleans at No. 8. That would be a win. Or, the Saints should target Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Over the next few months, the team should be prioritizing ways to add weapons for Tyler Shough.

More will come. Free agency and the trade market will open up after the season ends after the Super Bowl, but the team should be prioritizing early extensions and doing research on offensive weapons in the 2026 NFL Draft.

More NFL: Saints Projected to Draft Next Star WR By Mel Kiper Jr.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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