Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a shoulder injury, but there’s a slight chance he could return if the team makes a deep playoff run.
Blackmon is forced to sit out at least the next four games, and it hasn’t been made clear how severe the shoulder injury is. In theory, Blackmon would be eligible to return if the Colts made the playoffs and advanced to the AFC Championship Game.
That obviously would be a pretty big surprise even with the Colts in the thick of the playoff hunt, but crazier things have happened.
Still, James Boyd of The Athletic reported that Blackmon could return for the playoffs, suggesting this isn’t a long-term injury.
Blackmon was enjoying a Pro Bowl caliber season up to this point. In 15 games (all starts), Blackmon recorded 88 tackles (65 solo), four interceptions (team-high), eight passes defended and five tackles for loss—all of which were career-high marks.
With Blackmon out for the rest of the regular season, the Colts will rely on second-year safety Nick Cross to take the role of the strong safety next to fellow second-year Rodney Thomas II. They also signed Henry Black off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.
Another big question surrounding Blackmon is his future with the Colts. Coming off a career year, he’s also in the final year of his rookie contract.
His performance in 2023 certainly warrants the discussion of a new deal, but the team also has to factor in an extensive injury history that includes a torn ACL (2019) and a torn Achilles (2021). He hasn’t played a full season since he was drafted in 2020.
While that discussion is best suited for the offseason, the Colts defense will take a massive blow without Blackmon in the secondary, and there’s a strong chance his 2023 season is over.
