Tag: Darnell Savage

What Packers fans should be excited for in 2020: Potentially perfect safety duo

Packers fans should be excited about the safety duo of Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, a potentially perfect pair.

The Green Bay Packers shocked many in the football world during the 2020 season, bouncing back from back-to-back playoff-less seasons to win 13 games, capture the NFC North title and advance to the NFC title game during Matt LaFleur’s first season as coach.

Now, the Packers will go into the 2020 season with big expectations.

Over the next few days, we’ll run down a list of 10 different things Packers fans should be excited about as the 2020 season nears. The series starts with the team’s promising safety duo:

Amos, Savage could be the perfect pair

Green Bay Packers strong safety Adrian Amos (31) celebrates his interception with Darnell Savage (26) in the second quarter during their football game Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

If all goes right, the Packers could have one of the NFL’s best safety duos in 2020. Adrian Amos is an experienced and reliable veteran who is both physical against the run and capable in most coverage situations, while Darnell Savage is an exciting young blend of pure speed, playmaking instincts and positional versatility. Together, they could make a terrific duo, with Amos’ know-how and unshakable dependability helping balance out Savage’s athleticism and aggressiveness.

They can both play deep or near the line. Amos handled some snaps as a subpackage linebacker last season, while Savage is capable of playing as a single-high safety or down in the slot. The key to taking the next step is Savage, who should be more comfortable in the scheme and playing next to Amos in his second season. Playing faster and more consistently could turn him into a star, especially if he’s allowed more playmaking opportunities in the slot and closer to the action.

The operating center of Mike Pettine’s defense, Amos and Savage are a talented pair who should be capable of both preventing big plays and creating their own this season – making them an exciting duo with the potential to help the Packers defense take another step forward in 2020.

Packers secondary could take star turn in 2020

Jaire Alexander, Kevin King and Darnell Savage give the Packers a potential-packed trio in the secondary for 2020.

The Green Bay Packers have an opportunity to produce one of the NFL’s elite passing defenses in 2020. Not only because Mike Pettine’s group has a disruptive pass rush with at least three good individual rushers, but also due to a young, ascending secondary with the potential to take a star turn this season.

The position group is brimming with talent, and it now has a leader – in veteran defensive backs coach Jerry Gray – with a long track record of developing top talent.

First, let’s highlight the players. It’s always about the players. In Adrian Amos, the Packers have the ideal veteran safety who can always be counted on to be in the right spot. That’s important. But it’s what the Packers have built around Amos that provides so much of the immense potential for 2020.

Jaire Alexander, Kevin King and Darnell Savage have as much collective talent as any young secondary trio in the NFL. If they can improve, both individually and collectively, the Packers will undoubtedly have one of the game’s best secondaries in 2020.

Alexander has produced back-to-back encouraging seasons and looks primed to take the significant step from consistently good to consistently very good in his third year. Top cornerbacks almost always have a rare mix of athleticism, confidence and instincts, and Alexander has it. Of all the Packers’ young players, Alexander looks most capable of becoming a first-time Pro Bowler in 2020.

King is a far more polarizing player and may never reach Alexander’s individual coverage ability on a down to down basis, but he stayed healthy and created a highly productive season in terms of getting his hands on the football in 2019 (five interceptions, 15 pass breakups). Uniquely long and athletic, King is about to enter a contract year and will be extra motivated to produce another good season in 2020.

Savage could be the difference-maker for the entire group. He will combine the window-shrinking speed and playmaking instincts of his impressive skillset with the experience gained as a rookie and the comfort level all players feel in their second season. The Packers believe he’s going to play faster and make fewer mistakes in 2020. If he’s more consistent and creates more impact plays, especially if provided more opportunities to play near the line of scrimmage and in the slot, Savage could enjoy the kind of second-year breakthrough that could put him firmly on the national radar as one of the NFL’s best young safeties.

In 2019, the Packers were a good-to-great passing defense even while incorporating two new safeties – Amos and Savage – into the scheme. Last month, Pettine mentioned how much more comfortable the two safeties – whom he referred to as the defense’s “nerve center” – feel in the scheme.

The addition of Gray adds another layer to the developmental potential in the secondary. A former Pro Bowler with decades of experience teaching cornerbacks and safeties, Gray is confident he has the knowledge and tools to take the talent in Green Bay to another level. His coaching past suggests he could be the key to maximizing the Pro Bowl talent of Alexander and Savage while also helping King play more consistently.

The Packers’ pass-rush is coming off a dominant season and should be a foundational piece of the defense in 2020. Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith disrupt from the edges, with Kenny Clark – the most dominant pass-rushing nose tackle in football – consistently crashing the interior. But rushing the quarterback is just one piece of a two-part puzzle. Defenses that combine disruptive pass-rushing players with a strong collection of talent in the secondary can create a smothering effect against the pass.

Although the Packers do have a question mark in the slot entering 2020, they have the emerging talent on the perimeter and at safety to complete the puzzle.

The Packers have other young players in the secondary, including cornerbacks Chandon Sullivan and Josh Jackson, but going from great to elite will require a collective jump from Alexander, King and Savage, the three young talents capable of powering the secondary’s star turn in 2020.

Adrian Amos: Packers S Darnell Savage can take ‘big step’ in Year 2

Mike Pettine isn’t the only one with big expectations for Darnell Savage in 2020. Teammate Adrian Amos sees big things for the Packers safety this season.

Teammate Adrian Amos pointed to an increased comfort level in his surroundings and a greater understanding of the defense as the main reasons why second-year safety Darnell Savage can take a “big jump” for the Green Bay Packers in 2020.

A first-round pick and an All-Rookie Team selection in 2019, Savage will enter Year 2 with an opportunity to develop into a true difference-maker for Mike Pettine’s defense.

“The playbook, knowing what to expect to the following season. Being around your team and your situation, coming into Year 2, we have the same secondary, he knows where I’m going to be, who the corners are. He can make a big jump in that way,” Amos said during a conference call with reporters this week.

Savage started 16 games and played nearly 1,000 snaps as a rookie, including the postseason. Not only do the Packers return Amos and both starting cornerbacks (Jaire Alexander, Kevin King) for 2020, but Savage will be one year more comfortable with everything involved with playing the position within Pettine’s scheme.

Savage, who doesn’t turn 23 until July, produced 55 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 2019.

Like Amos, Pettine is also working under the expectation that Savage will enjoy another big step in development in 2020. He saw his rookie safety develop rapidly over the course of the 2019 season as he adjusted to the speed of the game and quickly figured out all the responsibilities required of him from the safety position. Now, Pettine can see a greater comfort level and communication ability from both Amos and Savage, the two safeties who represent the “nerve center” of the defense.

“He made great strides as the year went on. The sky is the limit for Darnell,” Pettine said.

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Packers excited for Year 2 of Jace Sternberger, Darnell Savage

Tight end Jace Sternberger and safety Darnell Savage, both top picks from the 2019 draft class, have the Packers excited for 2020.

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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Packers believe S Darnell Savage can play slot CB

The Packers see second-year safety Darnell Savage as an option for playing slot cornerback in 2020.

The Green Bay Packers didn’t draft a cornerback and haven’t re-signed veteran Tramon Williams, but the team believes several different players can handle responsibilities in the slot, including an intriguing option: second-year safety Darnell Savage.

GM Brian Gutekunst specifically mentioned Savage – the versatile defensive back – among a group of potential players capable of operating in the slot in 2020.

“He certainly has the skill set to do that,” Gutekunst said post-draft, per Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com.

Others mentioned by Gutekunst included Chandon Sullivan, Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson. Sullivan played some snaps in the slot last year as the fourth cornerback and was effective. Alexander has a versatile skill set and is both quick and instinctive enough to play inside. In the past, Mike Pettine has said the Packers believe the slot will be Jackson’s best position.

Giving Savage more snaps in the slot would be a fascinating twist for the Packers defense. The top defensive back drafted in 2019, Savage has both incredible speed and overall movement ability from a variety of spots on the field. At Maryland, he played deep and in the slot and was a big-play creator. While Pettine certainly appreciates his window-shrinking speed as a deep safety, Savage could be a more disruptive, valuable player if he’s in the box and closer to the action.

Pro Football Focus rated Savage, a former cornerback, as one of the best slot coverage players in the 2019 draft class. During his final season at Maryland, Savage produced three interceptions while playing in the slot.

The Packers could still bring back Williams on a one-year deal or hand all of Wiliams’ snaps from the slot to Sullivan, keeping Savage as a more traditional safety. But if other options don’t work out, playing Savage more in the slot has to be an appealing option for Pettine and the Packers. He is a dynamic athlete and has playmaking experience near the line of scrimmage. More opportunities in the slot could maximize his production as a defender in Year 2.

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Packers rookie review: S Darnell Savage

Reviewing the rookie season of Packers safety Darnell Savage, the 21st overall pick in the 2019 draft.

The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.

Next up: safety Darnell Savage, the 21st overall pick and the Packers’ second first-round draft selection in 2019:

Season stats

Savage produced 55 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one tackle for a loss and one quarterback hit over 14 regular season games. He tallied 10 more tackles and another tackle for loss in two playoff games. The rookie safety allowed 17 completions and two touchdown passes in coverage and produced two total pressures over 17 blitzes. He also missed eight tackles. PFF recorded Savage as allowing only 188 yards into his coverage.

Snap counts

Savage played 863 defensive snaps (83 percent) and 100 special teams snaps (23 percent) during the regular season. He played another 114 defensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps over two playoff games, giving him 977 defensive snaps, 118 special teams snaps and 1,095 total snaps in 2019. He played 100 percent of the defense’s snaps in 13 games and at least 96 percent of snaps in 15 of 16 games overall. He left Week 5 with an ankle injury and played just 19 snaps.

Best game

Green Bay Packers defensive back Darnell Savage (26) celebrates his interception during the Green Bay Packers 26-16 win over the Denver Broncos, Sunday, September 22, 2019 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

Week 3 vs. the Broncos. Savage recorded his first career interception and was effective in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer. He didn’t allow a single completion into his coverage, and PFF credited Savage with two pressures and a run stop. He got off a block and chased down Royce Freeman along the sideline to create a tackle for loss.

Worst game

NFC Championship Game vs. 49ers. Like many of his teammates, the rookie safety was out of position and struggled to make tackles for much of the afternoon against the 49ers run game. He took a bad angle on Raheem Mostert’s first touchdown. He got bowled over by Deebo Samuel and nearly gave up a long touchdown. He missed a diving tackle on Mostert in the open field. And he took himself out of the play with a bad read on Mostert’s third touchdown run.

Best play

In Week 2 against the Vikings, Savage created a turnover with his rare blend of speed and instincts. Kirk Cousins attempted to fit a throw into a tight window, but Savage read the route in front of him, closed the space in an instant and got a hand on the ball at the catch point, deflecting the pass into the waiting arms of Preston Smith for an interception near midfield.

Season recap, future outlook

Like any rookie safety thrust into a starting role, Savage went through some growing pains as he adjusted to the speed of the pro game and the many intricacies of playing safety in an NFL defense. But it’s hard to look at Savage’s first season and not be encouraged by his rare play speed, reliability in coverage and playmaking ability. He reads and reacts in the blink of an eye and can get to any spot on the field in a hurry, shrinking the field for the defense. He also intercepted a pair of passes, forced two fumbles and created another turnover with a pass deflection. Rarely did he get beat for big plays or fooled by quarterbacks over the top. His knowledge of the defense and sideline to sideline speed allowed the Packers to play veteran Adrian Amos closer to the line of scrimmage. A necessary area of improvement is in tackling. He missed over 12 percent of his total tackle attempts and seemed to regress tackling in the open field as the season wore on. Too often, he found himself out of position and lunging at the legs of ball-carriers. It’s easy to envision Savage as the Jaire Alexander of the safety position. Add in more confidence and a higher comfort level in everything about the job and Savage could turn all his talent and an impressive rookie season into a legitimate step toward becoming a difference-maker in Year 2.

Season grade

Savage, the first defensive back taken in the 2019 draft, immediately won over coaches and teammates and latched onto a starting job at safety. There was no question he belonged. His talent was obvious. Production as a first-year safety can be difficult to create, but he found ways to produce big plays and avoid allowing them. An ankle injury sidelined him in October and the defense suffered, a sure sign of his impact. His future is bright. B

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New Packers DBs coach could provide big boost for Darnell Savage

New DBs coach Jerry Gray could be a great addition for the development of Packers S Darnell Savage.

Arguably no player will benefit more from the Green Bay Packers hiring veteran defensive backs coach Jerry Gray than young safety Darnell Savage.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday that the Packers are picking Gray, who spent the last six years with the Minnesota Vikings, to replace Jason Simmons on Matt LaFleur’s coaching staff.

A first-round pick who started 16 of 18 games as a rookie in 2019, Savage could blossom as a player under a coach who has helped develop several great safeties in the NFL.

Gray, a first-round pick himself in 1985, has coached notable safeties such as Sean Taylor, Harrison Smith, Earl Thomas, Blaine Bishop, Lawyer Milloy, LaRon Landry, Michael Griffin and Anthony Harris, among others.

With the Vikings, Gray oversaw the development of Smith, a first-round pick and five-time Pro Bowler, and Anthony Harris, a former undrafted free agent who broke out with nine interceptions the last two seasons. Smith roams all over the field and can change games as a three-level defender, while Harris emerged as one of the NFL’s highest-graded overall safeties over the last few seasons. The Packers know both well.

In 2010, Gray was the defensive backs coach in Seattle, where he supervised the rookie season of Thomas, who produced five interceptions and began charting his path as one of the NFL’s best safeties.

During both the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Taylor was a Pro Bowl safety with Gray as his position coach in Washington. He intercepted six passes and forced four fumbles during the two seasons. Landry, a first-round pick in 2007, had arguably his two best NFL seasons playing for Gray.

Savage has all the attributes of a great safety. He’s lightning fast, with playmaking instincts and versatility. He flashed potential as a rookie, tallying a pair of interceptions and two forced fumbles. Now, Savage needs refinement and development, and Gray could be just the coach to push him to the next level.

He’ll know a good safety when he sees one, and Savage impressed everyone in Green Bay with his ability to learn the playbook and play fast as a rookie.

A legitimate second-year jump from Savage in 2020 could drastically change the Packers defense. Under Gray and Mike Zimmer, the Vikings finished in the top 10 for passing yards allowed four times in six years and in the top eight in net passing yards allowed per attempt each of the last four years. Zimmer’s scheme and the development of the secondary were big reasons why.

The defensive backs coach looks like an important position in Green Bay, where the Packers have Savage and young cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Josh Jackson and Chandon Sullivan on the roster. It’s a secondary overflowing with talent.

Gray will be charged with getting the most out of the group, starting next season.

The former Vikings assistant will bring years of teaching defensive backs and an unquestionable ability to develop he safety position to Green Bay. Can Gray turn Savage, an All-Rookie pick in 2019, into his next great pupil?

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Eagles’ RB Miles Sanders not included in PFF all-rookie team

Miles Sanders not included in PFF all-rookie team

Miles Sanders has had an outstanding rookie season for the Philadelphia Eagles and his dynamic play has been a driving force behind the team’s four-game winning streak and playoff run.

Sanders’s play has been electric during the second half of the season, but it means nothing to Pro Football Focus, who left Sanders off the All-Rookie team, after omitting him from their list of top-50 rookies.

The analytics site used its grading system to determine the top rookies, and Josh Jacobs landed the running back spot ahead of Sanders.

The Jaguars Gardner Minshew got the nod at quarterback, while AJ Brown, Terry McLaurin, and Deebo Samuel made the team at wide receiver.

Sanders finished the regular season with 818 rushing yards on 179 carries and three touchdowns. As a pass-catcher, the dynamic Sanders racked up 50 catches for 509 yards and three touchdowns.