Opposing quarterbacks would be better off throwing the ball away than targeting Green Bay Packers rookie safety Darnell Savage. No, seriously.
According to Pro Football Focus, Savage has allowed a 10.7 passer rating on throws into his primary coverage this season. For comparison’s sake, quarterbacks are credited with a passer rating of 39.6 when throwing it away.
Even more impressive is the fact that Savage has made as many plays on the ball when targeted (one interception and two pass breakups) as receptions he’s allowed (three).
Savage was one of the Packers’ two first-round picks in the 2019 draft. Through five games, he’s had an immediate impact on Green Bay’s defense. He’s done so as a 22-year-old rookie, but that hasn’t stopped defensive coordinator Mike Pettine from utilizing him.
So far, Savage has played 290 defensive snaps (84.5 percent) through five games; 117 in run defense, 162 in coverage and 11 as a pass rusher. He only played 19 snaps against the Cowboys on Sunday after injuring his ankle in the first half.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Savage simply “tweaked his ankle” and avoided a major injury. Based on how he’s performed so far, any sort of long-term injury to Savage could prove to be extremely costly to Green Bay’s defense.
