Two of the Green Bay Packers’ top picks from the 2019 draft have coordinators Nathaniel Hackett and Mike Pettine excited to see them on the field in 2020.
Tight end Jace Sternberger and safety Darnell Savage could both be prime breakout candidates during their second NFL seasons.
Hackett, the Packers offensive coordinator, wants to see more consistency and a better understanding of the system from Sternberger, who missed a big chunk of his rookie season with an ankle injury suffered during the preseason. But even during limited playing time in 2019, Sternberger flashed some of the traits that have the Packers excited about his potential as an athletic tight end in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
“He has an element of speed that is very impressive. He’s got fearlessness. He’s very aggressive. He has a lot of intangibles,” Hackett said during a conference call with reporters. “Just being able to be consistent, both being available and understanding what he needs to accomplish on the field is going to be huge, and if he gets that, I think he’s going to be a guy that potentially helps us.”
Sternberger didn’t have a catch during the regular season but his role grew late in the year, and he eventually caught his first touchdown pass in the NFC title game in San Francisco. Now, with Jimmy Graham gone, a clear opening atop the depth chart at tight end and two healthy legs, Sternberger has an opportunity to be a much bigger factor in the Packers’ passing game, potentially in the slot and as an inline tight end.
Development is a long process for tight ends in the NFL. It’s one of the most difficult positions for making the transition from college to the pros, but Sternberger’s speed – a clear upgrade over Graham’s – and his natural ability as a receiver should provide the groundwork for what could be a breakout season in a new role, especially if he gets more comfortable in the system and achieves the day-to-day consistency Hackett is looking for.
While Sternberger chases an opportunity on offense, Savage enters Year 2 with a starting job locked up and almost 1,000 total snaps of experience under his belt. His goal isn’t to secure a bigger role. Savage will look to take a developmental step towards becoming an impact player at the safety position.
Pettine said Savage endured a slow starting during training camp and had his share of rookie turbulence, but his improvement over the course of the season was clear and his potential in 2020 is now massive.
“He really improved as the season went on, just having an understanding of both what we were doing and what offenses were trying to do,” Pettine said during a conference call. “I think the biggest adjustment for him was the speed of the game, the speed of which the processing has to occur. The mental part of it, how quickly and accurately the information has needs to be conveyed, communicated. And just the speed of receivers and running backs and dealing with that aspect of it.”
Savage started 16 games overall, including two playoff games. An All-Rookie Team selection, he produced 55 tackles and five pass breakups while intercepting two passes and forcing two fumbles.
“He made great strides as the year went on. The sky is the limit for Darnell. He was everything we saw from him from a physical and mental standpoint,” Pettine said.
A big step as a second-year player – a possibility given his rookie experience and immense physical abilities – could elevate Savage from a useful young player to a field-tilting player at a key position within Pettine’s defense.
No one is setting expectations higher for the 2020 season than Savage.
“He has big expectations for himself, and those match the expectations we have for him,” Pettine said.
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