Newly signed safety Darnell Savage arrived at Pittsburgh Steelers minicamp with little fanfare despite once being a coveted draft pick.
In 2019, the Packers traded up nine spots in the first round to take the former Maryland Terrapin, who started 82 games over his first six NFL seasons. But his career seemed to stall in 2025 as he bounced between the Jaguars, Commanders and Bills, starting only once.
He turns 29 next month, but Savage said there is plenty of football left in him regardless of how last year went. The free agent signed a one-year deal to join a Steelers defense in need of help at safety.
“I know who I am,” Savage said last week at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I know what I’m capable of. I know there’s still a lot of meat on the bone for me, personally, as far as just what I have left.”
The Steelers are hoping so.
The team in March signed free agent Jaquan Brisker to pair with returning starter DeShon Elliott, who missed much of last season to a knee injury. Former All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey may again play snaps at safety.
But before adding Savage, the three other safeties on the depth chart — Sebastian Castro, Jack Henderson and rookie Robert Spears-Jennings — played a combined nine NFL games (all by Castro) with no starts.
So, Savage’s most attractive attribute is his experience. The 5-foot-11, 198-pounder played in 97 games over seven seasons. He made 371 career tackles, intercepted 10 passes and forced three fumbles.
“You are going to get everything I’ve got,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity.”
His arrival in Pittsburgh was delayed for a few months. The NFL Network reported in March that Savage would sign with the Steelers, but the team didn’t announce the move until the first day of minicamp last week.
“I don’t really want to get too much into it,” said Savage of the delay. “I had a couple of things to get handled. I’m here now. I’m happy that we were able to make things work out.”
He played a career-low 286 snaps last season and drew subpar ratings from Pro Football Focus. Among safeties who played at least 250 snaps, he ranked 103rd of 106, according to PFF.
But he’d never played fewer than 700 snaps in a season before despite dealing with separate shoulder and calf injuries in previous stops. Regarding his health nowadays, Savage said: “I feel good.”
He said the Steelers’ reputation for defense made it an attractive place to sign. His one-year contract is worth $1.3 million, according to Spotrac.com.
“When I think about the Steelers, I think about the defense and how good it is,” Savage said. “There’s a lot of talent here. The vibe of the guys, the work ethic, everything is great. It’s a very special place.”
Savage started 69 games in five seasons for the Packers, who drafted him 21st overall in 2019, the year after coach Mike McCarthy was fired. Savage made 302 tackles and nine interceptions before leaving in free agency.
He signed a three-year, $21.76 million deal with Jacksonville and started 13 games in 2024. However, he lost his starting job last fall under first-year coach Liam Coen, and the Jaguars cut him two weeks into the season.
He quickly signed with Washington, where he made 15 tackles in eight games before requesting his release in early December. Buffalo claimed him off waivers, and he played in three games, including the Bills’ playoff loss to the Broncos.
As a new addition to the roster, Savage said he wasn’t fully involved in minicamp drills last week. However, he said elements of the Steelers defense remind him of some previous schemes he fit into.
He said it was too early to detail his role here but was approaching this new job with optimism.
“That’s really the main thing,” Savage said. “Continue to keep the mind clean, keep the body healthy, continue to grow. Everything else will handle itself.”