[wysifield-embeddedaudio|eid="284656"|type="embeddedaudio"|view_mode="full"]
Will Blackmon was among those released when the Seahawks were forced to trim their roster from 75 to 53 players in 2013, mainly because Seattle was so deep at cornerback.
Just take a look at the names Blackmon was battling that summer: Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond, Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Lane, Antoine Winfield, Ron Parker, Tharold Simon, who Seattle drafted that year, and DeShawn Shead, who Seattle had on its practice squad.
Fast forward to 2015 and Blackmon is back in the Pacific Northwest following two seasons in Jacksonville under former Seahawks defensive coordinator turned Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley.
Blackmon was solid in Jacksonville, tallying 70 tackles, 11 passes defensed, and his first career interception through 23 games played the past two seasons. But the Jaguars released him in a salary-cap related move prior to the start of this year's NFL free agency period and he signed with the Seahawks two weeks later.
"I've been released before, but when I got released from here knowing that the depth was huge, they didn't need any more defensive backs, it was tough," Blackmon told Seahawks.com's 'The Daily Stretch' on Thursday, a podcast hosted by Seahawks Radio Network executive producer Matt 'Stretch' Johnson. "So for me to come back here it was a no-brainer. It's cool to come back here a second time around. I know what to expect and I'm at a different place mentally now."
The 6-foot, 204-pound, 30-year-old Blackmon is entering his ninth season in the League. Before his stints with the Seahawks and Jaguars he was primarily used as a return specialist for the Green Bay Packers (2006-09) and New York Giants (2010-11), who he won Super Bowl XLVI with during the 2011 season.
Knee and foot injuries have kept Blackmon from the field more than he would like in the past, but through the first seven days of Seahawks training camp Blackmon has been in the competition for snaps at the right cornerback spot vacated by last year's starter Maxwell, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, as well as at the nickel cornerback spot with Lane starting the season on the team's physically unable to perform list.
"I know everybody, so I already feel the synergy and clicking and everyone communicating," Blackmon said. "Still getting my feet under me, still working on like the small details. My assignments, I know everything, but it's just the smaller details which can put me closer to making the plays that I need to make.
"So I'm just excited for the opportunity to compete to be the nickel and compete for the right corner spot. I'm finally healthy and ready to take advantage of everything."
