Stampede Blue
The Indianapolis Colts have announced that the team has traded a 2026 6th round pick for Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon:
Originally a 2023 3rd round pick of the Vikings, the 5’11,” 178 pound cornerback has appeared in 15 career games—all during 2023, making 3 starts. That rookie season, he had 41 tackles (34 solo), 3 tackles for loss, an interception, 8 passes defensed, and a fumble recovery.
Per PFF, Blackmon earned a +71.8 overall grade in 2023 for the Vikings, highlighted by a strong +90.3 tackling grade. In pass coverage, he allowed 28 receptions on 44 targets (63.6%) for 282 receiving yards (10.2 ypr. avg.), 2 receiving touchdowns, an interception, 8 pass breakups, and an opposing NFL passer rating of 87.8.
He tore his ACL during July of 2024 training camp and expectedly did not appear in an NFL game last year.
Blackmon reunites with former Vikings teammate, now turned Colts safety Camryn Bynum in the Indy secondary, where he should add depth to a since depleted cornerback room because of injuries.
The Colts have already lost promising rookie Justin Walley to a season-ending torn ACL, and both Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents are working their way back from hamstring injuries. Recently signed veteran cornerback Xavien Howard is currently the projected outside starting cornerback opposite CB1 Charvarius Ward.
Under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Colts have arguably gotten away from some of their prior long-armed, athletic prototypes at cornerback and started favoring more high football IQ, tenacious tackling types in their revamped secondary.
