Subscribe
Follow Us
Darnell Savage Jr. was not the most talked about prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft process, but when everything was said and done, he was a first-round draft pick for the Green Bay Packers.
Coming into the 2019 season, Savage was expected to compete for a starting role with the Packers in his first year. He had the speed, athleticism, and ball skills needed to make an immediate impact. Green Bay saw what they wanted to see from him and they started him alongside Adrian Amos in the defensive backfield.
Following his first regular season, Savage has a ton of hype surrounding him. He could end up going down as one of the top steals in the draft if he continues developing into his full potential. Savage has shown signs of stardom and the Packers can only hope that those signs continue being seen.
Savage helped the Packers finish the regular season with a 13-3 record under first-year head coach Matt LaFleur. It was an amazing season after the proud franchise missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Mike Pettine's defense looked much better thanks to having players like Savage, who fit his athletic and aggressive defensive scheme.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at Savage's first season in the NFL and what grade he deserves for his performance.
On the year in 14 games with the Packers, Savage ended up recording 55 total tackles to go along with two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and five defended passes. Those numbers show the kind of impact that Savage was able to have. He was all over the field and also demonstrated top-notch playmaking ability.
Standing in at 5-foot-11 and 198 pounds, according to his ESPN profile, Savage is a prototypical free safety. Couple him with Amos, who stands 6-foot-0 and 214 pounds, and the Packers have a hard-hitting playmaking tandem at safety.
Green Bay finally has seemed to turn their defense around. Preston and Za'Darius Smith were signed in free agency to big contracts and they produced up to their price tags. The secondary also took a big leap forward this season.
Savage may not be a star yet, but the potential is there to be a major cornerstone for the Packers. Green Bay is headed in the right direction and are going to be contenders for quite a few years.
Darnell Savage's 2019 NFL Season Grade: A-
