Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon will be looking for a new home. According to NFL insider Ari Meirov, the Indianapolis Colts cut ties with the Minnesota Vikings‘ former third-round selection today.
Blackmon’s struggles in the team’s two preseason games, in which he committed four penalties, likely led to his departure. In a concurrent move, they also announced the signing of cornerback Kenneth Harris, who spent training camp with the Patriots before being released on Monday.
The undrafted free agent from Oklahoma State made a strong impression against the Colts when the two teams met up in preseason two weeks ago. He’ll now compete for a roster spot that used to belong to Blackmon.
Mekhi Blackmon’s Time In Minnesota Didn’t Go As Planned
The Vikings had high hopes for Blackmon when they selected him with the 102nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While many didn’t think he’d hear his name called until much later on day three (he was widely projected to be selected between the fifth and sixth rounds), defensive coordinator Brian Flores saw something he liked in the USC product.
It looked like he knew something others didn’t after Blackmon was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Rookie team in 2023.
“Blackmon finished third among rookie cornerbacks in overall and PFF coverage grade at 71.7. He is also the only rookie to play 400 snaps and not miss a tackle. That reliability has been a key asset in Minnesota’s rebuilt secondary. Blackmon also proved to be a ballhawk, leading his team with eight pass breakups despite playing just the seventh-most coverage snaps,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote.
Beyond the impressive metrics, he started three games for Minnesota, nabbed one interception, and recovered a fumble. He also was a key contributor on special teams, playing 43% of the snaps there.
Unfortunately, things began going downhill for Blackmon after he tore his ACL on the first day of training camp ahead of the 2024 campaign. The injury sidelined him for the entire season. He would never suit up for the Vikings, as the team traded him to the Colts for a sixth-round pick ahead of roster cut-down day last season.
Blackmon Will Probably Land On His Feet With Another Team Quickly
To Blackmon’s credit, he did bounce back strong with Indianapolis last season. He held his own across 11 starts for the Colts last season, intercepting two passes and getting his hands on seven more. Injuries at the position actually saw him leading the entire cornerback room in snaps.
While the Colts boast strong depth in the secondary, many still expected them to keep Blackmon around as a quality depth piece. He’s still only 27 years old and proved to be an asset last season. Their top three options on the perimeter, Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, and Cam Taylor-Britt, also missed a combined 25 games last season.
If Blackmon clears waivers (which seems likely considering he’ll make $3.674 million if a team inherited his contract), he’ll be free to sign with another team at his own discretion. Considering the importance of the cornerback position in today’s NFL, he probably won’t have to wait long to find a new landing spot.
Colts Cut Ties With Former Minnesota Vikings’ Promising Day-Two Pick