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.
