Following the 2025 NFL Draft, in which they selected two cornerbacks to improve their defensive backfield, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been labeled as the best fit to land veteran safety Julian Blackmon.
Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com singled out the Buccaneers as the best fit for Blackmon, noting their lack of experience at the safety position beyond star sixth-year player Antoine Winfield Jr.
According to spotrac, Blackmon’s market value is just over $8 million per year. If the Buccaneers are able to pair him with Winfield Jr., they should feel confident in their defensive backfield for several years to come.
Antoine Winfield Jr. Is a Star, but Buccaneers Lack a Second Safety
“There’s no doubt that Antoine Winfield Jr. is a star,” Chadiha writes. “The problem is what the Buccaneers are working with after that. Veterans Jordan Whitehead and Mike Edwards are no longer with the team, and there are only two other safeties on the depth chart with more than one year of experience (Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather). Blackmon, on the other hand, started 62 games in five years in Indianapolis.”
There were only three teams that finished with fewer interceptions (7 total) on defense than the Buccaneers last season, despite the fact that they faced the second-most pass attempts (630). For context, the Vikings faced just 7 more pass attempts, but finished with the most interceptions in the league (24). Upgrading the defensive backfield was clearly a priority for Tampa Bay, so adding Blackmon could propel them beyond the Divisional Round for the first time since Tom Brady led them to a Super Bowl in 2020.
Lackluster 2024 Stats Can Be Attributed to Early-Season Rotator Cuff Injury
“He played on a one-year deal with the Colts after testing free agency last season and displayed immense toughness while playing 16 games with a torn rotator cuff,” said Chadiha. “That injury likely factored into some problems Blackmon had with missed tackles, but the overall numbers for his career are solid (300 tackles and 10 interceptions). The Bucs managed to make the playoffs last season despite weaknesses and injuries impacting their defense. Adding Blackmon would help them avoid having to do that in two consecutive years.”
Another thing to keep in mind when considering Blackmon’s statistical drop-off in 2024 is that his Week 1 shoulder injury forced him to switch from strong safety to free safety. Nick Cross emerged as the Colts’ second-leading tackler last season while taking over as strong safety. If Blackmon is able to remain healthy, he has a chance to return to or exceed the production level from his 2023 season, in which he recorded career highs in tackles (88), interceptions (4) and passes deflected (8).
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Buccaneers Pitched As Best Fit For Versatile Veteran Safety appeared first on Heavy Sports.