Savage talks versatility, reasons for move
New Jags safety adjusts after uprooting his life
The NFL is a business where you could have to uproot your entire life and move across the country to find your next opportunity.
New Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage is experiencing the process right now as he leaves Green Bay, where he spent the first five years of his professional career, to join a Jaguars team in need of his skill set defensively.
It’s a nearly 1,300-mile move.
“It’s one of those things where you have to go with your gut a little bit,” Savage said during his introductory press conference last week. “I was talking to a couple of my friends that are in the NFL, too, and I feel like our whole lives we just pick up and go. We get adjusted, that’s kind of what we do.”
Savage played safety for the Packers, starting 69 games for them in his five seasons. He recorded 302 tackles, 32 pass deflections, nine interceptions while forcing and recovering two fumbles and registering one sack.
He joins the Jaguars, who cut Rayshawn Jenkins, a highly-regarded defensive leader in the locker room, as a cap casualty and have 2023 fifth-rounder Antonio Johnson laying in wait for his chance to see more playing time.
The rest of the safety room is two-year starter Andre Cisco, who had an up-anddown year due to injuries last season, along with special teams aces Daniel Thomas and Andrew Wingard.
It’s a position that definitely can use
Savage’s skillset and his playmaking ability. And a team that was an interesting landing spot to him.
“The energy from the coaches, just everybody here,” he said on what made him want to come to Jacksonville. “I kind of had a feel for that during the whole process and it’s stayed true since I’ve gotten here.”
The coaching staff was a big draw for Savage, who worked with Jaguars cornerbacks coach Cory Robinson at Maryland and made a good sales pitch for him to join the team. Robinson was director of player personnel at Maryland in 2015 when Savage was a freshman in college.
Head coach Doug Pederson’s Super Bowl pedigree as a player and coach weighed into the decision to join the team, and Savage was impressed by defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, as well. Nielsen played a part in Falcons safety Jessie Bates III having a standout season last year. The same could happen for Savage as he brings his uniqueness to Jacksonville.
“My versatility. I can do a lot of different things,” Savage said on the biggest selling point of his game. “I’ve been playing safety these past few years, but I really truly believe I can move around and just do anything on the defensive side of the ball.”
But could a position change be on the way for him with the Jaguars? While a traditional twohigh safety look would suit Savage, he has the build and versatility to move around in Ryan Nielsen’s defense.
It opens the door to him potentially seeing time in other roles like nickel cornerback or being used as Jacksonville’s STAR defender.
A STAR is a defensive back who combines the roles of outside linebacker and safety into one player. And Savage could be a star for the Jaguars, in the STAR role.
“I feel like I can play anywhere. At the end of the day, I’ve got to do what my coaches ask of me and what my teammates ask of me,” Savage said. “I’m here to be the best player and the best teammate I can possibly be.”
Juston Lewis is a Jacksonville Jaguars beat reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on the website formerly known as Twitter at @JustonLewis_.