The Pittsburgh Steelers entered free agency needing depth in the secondary. After re-signing Asante Samuel Jr. and coming to terms with free-agent Jamel Dean, Omar Khan repaired the talent at the cornerback position. Now, the Steelers are rolling the dice on a former first-round pick.
Late Tuesday night, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that Darnell Savage is signing a one-year contract with the Steelers. Savage, the 21st overall pick of the Packers in 2019, spent his first five seasons in Green Bay. NFL Insider Aaron Wilson reported that Savage will earn $1.487 million for the 2026 season.
Savage's career got off to an explosive start, as the young safety recorded eight interceptions over his first three seasons. Unfortunately, inconsistencies and injuries have plagued Savage over the past four years.
After five seasons with the Packers, Savage spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Savage was released by the Jags after suiting up for just two games in 2025. The safety landed on his feet with the Washington Commanders, where he played eight games. That's when Savage requested his own release from the team and played two games with the Buffalo Bills late in the year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting nothing more than safety depth with Darnell Savage
The Packers had high hopes for Savage when they spent a first-round pick on the Maryland product seven years ago. At the 2019 NFL Combine, Savage recorded a 4.36 40-yard dash (97th percentile among safeties) and a 39 1/2'' vertical jump.
Savage popped on film, wowing scouts with his closing speed and aggressive play style. And when you combine elite athletic traits with seven interceptions over his final two college seasons, it's not hard to see why he was drafted in Round 1.
However, much like the career path of former Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds, Savage has been a disappointment overall. He never proved consistent enough to live up to the hype and was often exposed in the secondary.
Now entering his eighth NFL season, savage is still just 28 years old, but we know who he is at this stage of his career. He won't be a starter for the Steelers unless injuries occur. Thankfully, he does have some special teams experience over the years, logging 364 snaps in this department. But that's not his forte.
Savage started 69 of 72 games for Green Bay and 83 of 97 games over his career. Despite his shortcomings, the Steelers are getting a depth signing in the secondary who still possesses great athletic traits and loads of experience. This is a quality gamble as a depth piece at safety.