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Packers: 4 breakout candidates following Bye week

By Brian Sampson

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Kerryon Johnson #33 of the Detroit Lions runs with the ball while being chased by Darnell Savage #26 of the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Kerryon Johnson #33 of the Detroit Lions runs with the ball while being chased by Darnell Savage #26 of the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Green Bay Packers
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 01: Darnell Savage #26 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after he picked off a pass by Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium on December 01, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The Green Bay Packers defeated the New York Giants 31-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

3. Darnell Savage

The Packers’ coaching staff is high on Darnell Savage. Like really high. Unfortunately, his play hasn’t matched their hype and it appears he’s taken a step back in Year 2 instead of the traditional leap forward.

After recording a PFF grade of 66.5 in 2019, he’s fallen all the way to 53.5 through four games in 2020, ranking 55 of 78 qualified safeties. He struggled mightily in the season-opener and hasn’t quite figured out how to control his great speed. He mostly abuses it when trying to make tackles, as he’s recorded 21 solo tackles, two assisted and seven(!) missed.

The good news is his two best games of the season came in the Packers’ final two contests against the Saints and Falcons. Savage was better in coverage those games and provided good tackling against the Saints. However, he missed a number of opportunities against the Falcons, something he’ll have to clean up if this Packers’ defense wants to stop the run moving forward.

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