Darnell Savage joined the Packers in 2019 with high expectations, but his time with the team could soon come to an end. The veteran safety was among those players whose contracts recently voided, creating dead cap charges regardless of if they re-sign with Green Bay or head elsewhere in free agency. 
As noted at the time by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Savage’s contract will carry the largest dead money of the group. The Packers will be hit with a $5.46MM charge for the former first-rounder, who is on track to test the open market for the first time in his career next month. His representation is well aware of the opportunities which could arise taking him out of Green Bay.
“Darnell loved his time in Green Bay, and we remain optimistic that a deal can get done before the league year,” Savage’s agent Seth Katz said (via Demovsky). “But realistically, the window for free agent communication is around the corner, and there will be significant interest in Darnell.”
Savage remained a full-time starter throughout much his five seasons with the Packers, a tenure which included a number of ups and downs. The former first-rounder was benched in a four-game stretch in 2022, although he returned to first-team action when healthy this past season. He was limited to 10 regular season contests due to a calf injury, but he was activated in time for Green Bay’s closing regular season contests and both playoff games.
The Maryland alum totaled a career-low 51 tackles in 2023, and he was held without an interception (in the regular season) for the first time. Savage’s downturn in ball production (one pass deflection) came about as his struggles in coverage continued. He allowed a completion percentage of 78.3% as the nearest defender while surrendering an opposing passer rating above 100 for the third consecutive season. PFF rated Savage 15th amongst qualifying safeties, though, a far more favorable evaluation than the team’s other options at the position.
Still, it would come as little surprise if the 26-year-old were to head elsewhere. Demovsky confirms no contract talks have taken place between Savage and the Packers, leaving him on course for free agency. Presuming the Buccaneers use the franchise tag on All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr., the list of available safeties will likely offer little in the way of star power. Demovsky reports Savage could land the largest deal in the 2024 class at an AAV between $5MM and $7MM.
In any event, the Packers could see a number of departures on the backend this offseason. Savage is joined by Rudy Ford and Jonathan Owens – who combined to see 20 starts last season – as pending free agents. With a new defensive coordinator in place, improvements in the secondary will be a key offseason goal. A number of new faces at the safety position could be a major factor in that effort.
Imagine if the Packers had drafted Marquise Brown, Deebo, or A.J. Brown instead of this guy. I say those three because they were the 3 receivers that came off the board after Savage.
Instead they rolled with MVS, EQ St. Brown, Lazard, and Geronimo Allison.
What a wasted opportunity.
That’s GB’s GM at his best! Brian Gutekunst…..SUPER GENIUS!!
Just imagine if he would have drafted Derwin James in 2018 instead of trading down. He would have never had to draft Savage in the first place.
With all due respect, I understand the the Gute jokes and I am not happy with many of the moves he has made the past few years or treated departing FAs, but being able to pick up a future 1st round pick and then drafting Jaire Alexander was a great move. Having a great corner in the NFL is more important than having a great safety in the NFL. There is a reason corners make more than safeties. What he did with that extra first in 2019 was a different issue, but I would say him picking Alexander over James was the better move regardless. He was huge in the NFC championship game in ’21, picking off Brady twice. I would argue that would have been enough to win the game if it weren’t for the Packers having backup left and right tackles going up against JPP and Shaq Barrett.
Maybe if the previous GM didn’t take kevin king over watt we would’ve won it.
Ah, yes the ol’ 2017 trade-down. Watt is sitting right there; home-state kid and everything, but it was SO important to get that extra 4th rounder that year, who, by the way ironically, was also a home-state kid but he played only one season in Green Bay then has been out of football since 2021.
Gute with the exception of coming in hot with signing Z, Preston, and Amos in free agency has been absolutely awful at making decisions. One of the worst GMs in the league.
You are beyond clueless as it relates to the NFL in general and Gutekunst specifically if that’s your take. Stick to fantasy football where you can pick names given to you off a list.
Now do Gutekunst’s grand slam of a 2023 draft….go ahead….
His 2023 draft was solid with the exception of Carlson who cost the team their season and if you feel that one year of production is enough data to make a proper evaluation on a draft that’s fine I suppose.
Since he started drafting in 2018 Gute’s picks have yielded four total pro-bowl appearances (2 for Jaire and 2 for Jenkins), and ZERO first-team all-pro selections.
Off the heels of an NFC Championship appearance he drafts 3 straight 3rd string players in Love, Dillon, and Deguara. Love might just be the only thing that saves him in that regard.
Taking Myers over Creed Humphrey, the pick for Humphrey was submitted nearly instantly once the Packers took Myers.
Lets move beyond the draft. Not working with Rodgers to correct the upcoming cap hit he had and subsequently causing the numerous issues that stemmed from that.
Allowing Adams to dictate a trade when the team could have and should have tagged him even if he “wouldn’t play”.
The deal given to Bak. The continual black hole that is the Packers special teams which has cost them in the playoffs over and over and not pressuring LaFleur to make a change with the staff.
I will credit Gute with signing free agents early when he started, firing McCarthy, hiring LaFleur, and a very small amount of success in the draft with guys like Jenkins, Alexander, and possibly a few more but it is not nearly enough over the last 6 drafts by any measure.
I love Davante, and he’s an all time great, but you have to make that trade. A first and a second for a guy that isn’t even under contract and is over 30 is a great move. Skill positions are not the most important on an NFL team. Because of the trade, they were able to get Quay Walker and Christian Watson and had enough money available to resign Campbell and Douglas. You can’t fill out your roster if you are paying half of your cap to Rodgers, Adams, and Bakh. On top of that, they needed to start turning the locker room over. If Adams was still around, you think the young WRs would have bought into the new regime? New OC and the management? The answer is unlikely.
Look at the Chiefs. They did the exact same thing. Traded away a top-5 receiver and replaced him with inferior talent – overpaying MVS, overdrafting Skyy Moore (trading up into the 2nd for an undersized WR from a small school), and trading a third and sixth rd for the bum Toney who is a locker room cancer. That all gets glossed over because of Patrick Mahomes’ greatness and Travis Kelce’s dominance. You can’t pay top-5 guys at every position forever and expect to compete.
Bro, it’s super easy to play armchair GM when you can look back in hindsight. I can point to dozens of mistakes by every GM in league history, it is impossible to make every right move. How is anyone supposed to know that Bakh would completely shred his knee a few months after signing his extension? Bakh going into that contract extension was a borderline HOFer. Gute even said we only hand out third contracts to that level of player. He got so much crap for letting Bulaga and Linsley go and both were done after two years with the Chargers due to injury. Neither guy was on the level of Bakh, you make that deal 10/10 times. Honestly if he wasn’t injured, the Packers win the SB that year. The real reason they lost was because JPP and Shaq Barrett were having a field day against the backup tackles
Waiting….
Significant interest….by teams that want to employ a bottom of the league DB who can’t play the safety position.
Any updates on contract restructures as they relate to creating more cap space (this year) and probably New Orleans-ing them in future years..?
Or we just getting a near nothing bit about a guy who doesn’t appear to be in their plans because he didn’t live up to expectations, yet he/his agent believe he’s an all pro..?