The Jacksonville Jaguars are altering their defense after their late-game collapse against the Cincinnati Bengals. Two days after the loss, the team released former Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage.

Savage started 13 games in 2024 and recorded 51 tackles in his first year with the Jaguars. However, after being scarcely used through the first two games of 2025, the team announced it had released him on social media.

Savage, a former first-round pick, signed with Jacksonville during the 2024 offseason. He signed a three-year, $21.75 million contract that included a $12.5 million guarantee.

Despite starting each of his 13 games in 2024, Savage found himself buried on the 2025 depth chart. He began the season behind veterans Eric Murray and Andrew Wingard, with the former supplanting him in the starting lineup.

Savage spent his first five seasons with the Packers, who opted not to re-sign him after his rookie deal expired. Although he was relatively successful with Green Bay, the team struck gold by landing former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney that same offseason.

Jaguars looking to rebound from frustrating Bengals loss

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen watches his team warm up before an NFL scrimmage at EverBank Stadium Friday August 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla.
Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union

Changes were evident from the Jaguars' defense after their stunning Week 2 loss to the Bengals. Jacksonville led a Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati team nearly the entire game before somehow allowing the victory to slip through its fingers.

The Jaguars led 24-17 in the third quarter when Trevor Lawrence found Travis Etienne for an 11-yard score. They would go on to take another 27-24 lead late in the fourth quarter, before the Bengals executed a gutsy 92-yard drive to regain the lead with 18 seconds remaining.

While Jacksonville's offense takes the brunt of the blame for flaming out late, its defense was equally as liable. Despite picking off Jake Browning twice, the Jaguars allowed a makeshift Bengals offense to rack up 350 yards against them and pick up yet another victory against all odds.

Although their 1-1 record is not horrible, the Jaguars desperately need a rebound win in Week 3. They return home to face a struggling Houston Texans team that has begun the season 0-2 and is averaging just 14 points per game.