5 Former Packers Regretting Leaving Green Bay at Season Halfway Point

Rudy Ford

Rudy Ford was another casualty of Green Bay’s offseason overhaul at safety. Along with Jonathan Owens and Darnell Savage, Ford was shown the door as the Packers brought in fresh talent to solidify the back end of their defense.

And while Green Bay benefited from a major upgrade in Xavier McKinney—whose interception total in eight games matches or surpasses the career totals of Owens (one) and Ford (six)—Ford has struggled to find a new footing in the league.

Ford signed with the Carolina Panthers in August, but his stint was short-lived. Released within two weeks, he has yet to be picked up by another team.

Watching the Packers flourish without him and his fellow former safeties has to sting, especially as Ford remains on the sidelines. He hoped to land somewhere he could contribute, but halfway through the season, he’s still looking for an opportunity. For Ford, this offseason shake-up has been hard to bounce back from, leaving him to wonder what could have been if he had found a better fit elsewhere.

Darnell Savage

Darnell Savage didn’t have to wait long to face his former team. When Green Bay hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Packers had plenty of success targeting Savage in both the pass and run games. They isolated him in space against ball-carriers and exploited mismatches that played right into their hands—a strategy that’s emblematic of the struggles Savage has faced all season.

On a Jaguars team struggling to find its rhythm, Savage is having one of the worst seasons of his career. The transition has not been smooth, and Green Bay’s own defensive improvements only highlight what Savage has left behind.

While the Packers moved on from him for a reason, Savage may be feeling the pangs of regret as he navigates a rocky season on a team trending in the wrong direction.

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