Veteran safety Darnell Savage Jr. has signed with the Washington Commanders, per an official team announcement. The news comes six days following his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking him from afterthought to potential starter for a playoff contender. It's a massive opportunity for him -- one he can't afford to squander.
Washington adds Savage and places offseason free-agent acquisition Will Harris on injured reserve in a corresponding move. The latter will miss at least four games after suffering a fractured fibula in their 41-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Life comes at you fast, particularly in the NFL. Jacksonville just took on anear-$4.36 million dead cap hit to cut Savage, who lost his job to longtime special teamer Andrew Wingard. Suddenly, the ex-Jaguar and Green Bay Packer latches onto the Commanders, where they hope to see him help address their secondary problems.
Commanders give ex-Packers draft bust Darnell Savage Jr. lifeline shortly after Jaguars release
Packers and Jags fans will be quick to caution the Washington faithful of Savage's, but beggars can't be choosers. The Commanders desperately needed a Harris replacement, and notably saw three other defensive backs go down in Week 3, so they acted fast.
Landing with the Commanders presents a career-defining inflection point for Savage, whom the Packers traded up to select No. 21 overall in 2019. Does he seize the chance Washington is giving him and live up to his lofty draft pedigree? Or will we see why the 28-year-old is set to represent a third franchise in as many seasons?
Savage flashed at times in Green Bay, though he never truly met expectations. His time with the club was effectively over when they introduced Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator last February. It didn't take long for him and the Jags to agree on a three-year $21.75 million contract, which demonstrably aged poorly, considering he's in Washington.
A Salisbury, Maryland native and a University of Maryland alum, joining the Commanders marks a homecoming for Savage. He grew up roughly 100 miles from Washington's Northwest Stadium and went to college approximately 20 minutes away. Perhaps returning to his roots can help unlock the untapped potential Packers supporters once envisioned in him.
No one is allowing more yards per completion than the Commanders (13.6) through three contests. Savage will be relied on to help solve their coverage woes, yet his lack of size creates matchup limitations.