The Green Bay Packers were eliminated from the playoffs in soul-crushing fashion, but that doesn't mean there aren't reasons to continue following the postseason. After all, several players who used to call Green Bay home are still chasing an elusive Super Bowl ring, giving Packers fans an incentive to keep up with the ongoing action.
One of those ex-players is veteran safety Darnell Savage, who found himself in the spotlight as a member of the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night. Coming in to replace an injured Cam Lewis, Savage made an immediate impact for all the wrong reasons, allowing a 29-yard touchdown to Denver Broncos receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey (h/t @SMHighlights1) toward the end of the first half.
The touchdown loomed large as the Bills went on to lose the game 33-30 in overtime, and it was the latest example of how things have gone wrong for Savage after leaving Green Bay in 2023.
Packers Ditched Darnell Savage at the Right Time
The Packers’ first-round pick in the 2019 draft, Savage had a solid start to his career in Green Bay. The Maryland product grabbed a pair of interceptions during his rookie season and went on to make nine interceptions over five seasons. But the Packers chose to turn over their secondary and allowed Savage to sign a three-year, $21.75 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2023 season.
The relationship between Savage and the Jaguars soured quickly. Savage made 51 total tackles and had an interception in his first year with Jacksonville, but with head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke fired after the season, Savage never got in the good graces of the new regime led by Liam Cohen and James Gladstone and was released by the team last September.
Savage signed with the Washington Commanders a few days later, but he made just 15 total tackles in eight games before being waived for the second time this season. The Bills took the risk late in the year, and Savage appeared in two games, including a start in the Week 18 matchup against the New York Jets. After assuming a reserve role and not playing in the Wild Card win over the Jaguars, he played just three snaps against the Broncos, with one of them being the most pivotal plays of the game.
With another disaster on tape, it’s hard to see where Savage could get his next opportunity. The good news is, he should get another shot as a former first-round pick. The bad news is that his recent performance means it could be on a cheap one-year deal where he has to earn his roster spot during training camp.
It’s a sign that the Packers made the right decision to move on from Savage and replace him with Xavier McKinney, and that they could make another step toward pursuing a championship in 2026.