Bad news gets worse for the Saints on Monday as they're now feared to be without a key player after a Week 1 loss to the Cardinals.
Saints safety Julian Blackmon is feared to have suffered a shoulder injury during the season opener, Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed on Monday. The injury is a torn labrum, according to a report from the NFL Network.
“A bummer for him," Moore said, "just because he’s done such an amazing job of coming in here and putting himself in an awesome position to have a great season, and he played great on Sunday as well.”
The injury wasn't identified until well after the game. Blackmon played 100% of the defensive snaps in the 20-13 loss to the Cardinals, contributing 7 tackles and pass defensed while narrowly missing an interception.
The news would be a major blow for the Saints, with the team signing Blackmon after the surprise retirement of Tyrann Mathieu. The veteran had formed an effective tandem with Justin Reid throughout camp.
Blackmon had missed time recently with an injury, but it's unclear if it's related to the labrum issue. Blackmon also worked through a labrum issue in his final season with the Colts, with his recovery stretching into the offseason and limiting his free agent opportunities.
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Assuming Blackmon is done for the year the Saints will have limited options for how they fill that other safety spot, with Jordan Howden and rookie Jonas Sanker the most likely options if they don't look at the free agency market.