The Pittsburgh Steelers spent much of their time early in free agency bolstering their secondary. After re-signing cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. just before the NFL's negotiation period kicked off on Monday, general manager Omar Khan was quick to agree to terms with veteran CB Jamel Dean on a multi-year deal. The Steelers added depth at safety as well.
On Wednesday, the Steelers took a low-risk gamble on former first-round defensive back Darnell Savage in free agency. Savage, the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, spent his first five seasons with the Green Bay Packers, though his time over the past two seasons was split on three NFL teams.
Coming into the league, Savage was a prospect who gained a ton of steam before the NFL Draft. At the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, Savage turned heads with a blazing 4.36 40-yard dash and a 29 1/2'' vertical jump. Teams were already aware of Savage thanks to his recording seven interceptions in his final two seasons at Maryland.
Formerly a 21-year-old first-round draft pick, Savage went on to record eight interceptions in his first three seasons with the Packers, and he turned heads thanks to his versitility and ball skills in the secondary.
While this might have been a signing Steelers fans could get excited about once upon a time, it's important to temper expectations for the once-high-profile safety.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans should have low expectations for Darnell Savage in 2026
There's a reason the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to ink Darnell Savage to a one-year contract at just over $1.48 million per season—it's because he hasn't been very good.
Despite his outstanding athletic traits and a reputation as a first-round pick, Savage has often been a liability in coverage who can't be trusted on a down-by-down basis. There's a reason why he spent time on three different teams in 2025 (the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Washington Commanders, and the Buffalo Bills).
Because of his lack of discipline in coverage over the years, Savage has surrendered a passer rating of over 106.5 to opposing quarterbacks for five straight years. In 2025, Savage allowed a career-worst passer rating of 126.0, according to advanced stats from Pro Football Reference.
While Savage's 10 career interceptions and 41 pass defenses look like solid numbers on paper, the veteran safety has been credited with a whopping 23 touchdowns allowed over his first seven seasons.
Savage is just 28 years old entering his eighth season, and there's always a chance that he could revive his career in Pittsburgh (much like DeShon Elliott in 2024). However, it's important to keep low expectations for the flashy but inconsistent safety.
Darnell Savage is a terrific athlete with ball skills on the backend of the defense, but this is nothing more than a depth signing that adds security to the safety position. Based on how he's played over the past four seasons, it's unreasonable to expect much more.