New York Giants inside linebacker Bobby Okereke wants to see his defensive unit reach new heights in 2024. The defense led the way for the Giants last season and Okereke believes they can do so again with a special free agent signing.
Strong safety Julian Blackmon ran his course with the Indianapolis Colts and became a free agent this winter. The 25-year-old standout defensive back is available for the Giants to add. Pro Football Focus asserts that New York would be the perfect landing spot for Blackmon.
Giants’ Bobby Okereke wants Julian Blackmon in New York next season
Okereke agreed and openly expressed excitement at the thought of the four-year veteran having his back in the Giants’ secondary next season in a post on X:
Blackmon did not earn All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors in 2023 but his numbers were worthy of consideration. His career-high eight defended passes positioned him to snag the third-most interceptions at his position with four on the campaign.
He’d be a valued addition to a Giants secondary that allowed passing attacks to average a 22.8 percent first down percentage, which ranked No. 19 in the league, and also gave up the sixth-most big plays of 40 or more yards with 10.
The Giants have the money and the space to make Blackmon a lucrative offer
Blackmon last earned $2.97 million for the 2023 season. For a safety of his caliber, he was far from the top 10 highest-paid players at the position. The Giants could easily bring him on with $7.47 million in cap space for 2024.
Okereke clearly has his sights set on getting after the quarterback with verve next season. He also seemingly wants to do so with a player like Blackmon who can take pressure off of him in the trenches and magnify his pass-rushing efforts.
The Giants already signed veteran SS Jalen Mills after Xavier McKinney departed this offseason. Though, Blackmon’s 2023 outing was better than any of Mills’ last three campaigns. It remains to be seen if the Giants will decide to stack the deck at the position and give Okereke a reason to celebrate in the process.