Colts' cornerback depth suddenly a concern as Mekhi Blackmon struggles

INDIANAPOLIS — Veteran cornerback Mekhi Blackmon looked like a lock for the 53-man roster when the Colts opened training camp a month ago.

Blackmon wasn’t going to be a starter. Not on a team with Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward expected to start on the outside.

But he did look like he could provide the experienced depth Indianapolis might need if a rash of injuries struck the cornerback position again.

Blackmon has instead been a target for opposing quarterbacks in the first two weeks of the preseason, struggling in joint practices and preseason games against New England and Atlanta to prompt questions about the Colts‘ depth at a position that will be critical for the Indianapolis defense this season.

“Unfortunately, he’s had some penalties go against him in the last two games, he’s had some balls caught on him,” defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. “He’s a competitive, super-competitive guy, which I love about him, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back and have a good week.”

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Blackmon, a 2023 third-round pick by the Vikings, ended up playing more snaps than any other Indianapolis cornerback after coming over to the Colts in exchange for a sixth-round pick last year

Indianapolis envisioned deploying Blackmon as a speedy matchup to play a specialized role against deep threats; injuries instead forced the veteran to play 783 defensive snaps. Blackmon was targeted more times (68) than any other Colt, allowing a respectable .632 completion percentage and 88.8 rating on throws when he was the nearest defender, although Next Gen Stats did not include a game-winning 88-yard touchdown pass from Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to Tutu Atwell in those statistics, a play that happened because Blackmon fell down in coverage.

Blackmon picked off two passes, tied for third on the team with eight pass breakups and made 64 tackles.

“He’s a guy that prides himself on being able to run and being in position to make a play,” Anarumo said.

Blackmon has also struggled mightily the last two weeks.

New England repeatedly targeted Blackmon in practices, then went back after him in the preseason opener. Atlanta did a little more of the same Saturday. Blackmon has looked like he’s in coverage on at least six catches this preseason, and he’s been flagged four times for pass interference.

All without facing a team’s top receivers.

Blackmon’s issues in the preseason carry plenty of immediate reason for concern. Cam Taylor-Britt is the team’s fourth cornerback, and with Ward out due to the back injury, Taylor-Britt has been the replacement in the starting lineup, playing the slot and pushing Walley to the outside. Gardner, Walley and Taylor-Britt have played well together in joint practices.

If Ward’s back injury lingers until the opener, Taylor-Britt will not be available. Taylor-Britt has been suspended for the season opener, a one-game suspension stemming from two traffic arrests during his final year in Cincinnati.

Blackmon would have been the next man up before the last two weeks.

Now, the Colts’ contingency plan looks unclear. Johnathan Edwards, a second-year cornerback who played 313 defensive snaps as a rookie last year, has struggled in his own right, allowing CFL product Rob Carter Jr. to start on the outside against Atlanta.

“I think this last week, this last game is big for a lot of guys, and it’s not just going to be based on one week,” Anarumo said. “It’s a sum of all the things that they’ve done so far, not just for Mekhi, not just for JE. … I still think there’s a number of spots where this week is big, and where it comes down to a guy or two.”

Cornerback was not supposed to be one of those spots.

Not until the last two weeks.

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts’ cornerback depth suddenly a concern as Mekhi Blackmon struggles

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