Green Bay Packers Competing With Rival To Sign Top Remaining Free Agent
The Green Bay Packers had an active start to the 2024 offseason, with everything from releases to big-name free-agent signings. In the first days of free agency the Green Bay Packers signed over 100 million dollars in free agent signings of running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney alone. Despite their activity in free agency, there are still multiple positions in need of depth. Safety is still a room of concern despite the star power signing of Xavier McKinney.
Besides McKinney, there are no safeties on the Green Bay Packers roster with more than two seasons of experience, and none of them have seen substantial playtime on the defensive side of the ball in the NFL. With the clock ticking before the NFL Draft, the last batch of free agents are looking to sign. Unfortunately for the Packers, if they want to sign one of the best remaining safeties they must compete with their biggest non-divisional rival.
Green Bay Packers Free Agent Target Julian Blackmon Schedules Visit With San Francisco 49ers
Julian Blackmon is a young safety drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The 25-year-old has played 50 games in his four-year career racking up over 200 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 interceptions. The 6’0 202 pound safety is on the radar for any team that is looking for help in their backfield, this does not just include the Green Bay Packers, but also the team that knocked them out of the 2023-24 season playoffs San Francisco 49ers.
The idea of the San Francisco 49ers signing a top free agent is not a pleasant one for the Green Bay Packers front office or fans, the fact it is a free agent the Green Bay Packers likely have interest in is a ‘twist of the knife’.
In 15 games in 2023, Blackmon pulled in a career-high four interceptions which was tied for seventh most league-wide. Blackmon also set a career-high in tackles with 88 including 65 solo tackles. A large part of these stats was his ability to line up anywhere on the field, playing 100+ snaps as the deep safety, box safety, and slot defender.
Blackmon young age fits perfectly with the timeline of the Green Bay Packers and his presence as the safety beside Xavier McKinney would be a perfect match. The Green Bay Packers need help in the safety room and not many players left fit quite like Blackmon could. The San Francisco 49ers are a team the Green Bay Packers would likely have to see in the playoffs on the way to a Super Bowl. The last thing the Green Bay Packers want is to see a player they could have had making plays against them in the playoffs.
