Packers Appear To Be Terrified of Elite Jaguars Defender

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur thinks the Jacksonville Jaguars have an elite defender in Darnell Savage.

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) is introduced before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage has done plenty to prove to the Jaguars what kind of game-changer he can be in the secondary.

One person who already knew this, though, is the same head coach Savage and the Jaguars will face in Week 8: Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur coached Savage for the first five years of his career, with Savage's rookie season coinciding with LaFleur's first year as a head coach in 2019.

Savage made plenty of big plays in his time as a Packer, plays that LaFleur and the Packers know they will have to prevent on Sunday.

"I think Savage has done a nice job, just showing that versatility, playing the nickel, playing the safety, wherever they need him," LaFleur said.

"He's an elite talent, no doubt about it. And there is nothing he can't do. So happy to see him having success."

Savage has been a key addition for the Jaguars since they signed him in free agency in March. Savage opened the season as the starting nickel cornerback, missing Weeks 2-4 after a quad injury but returning in Week 5 to help stabalize a young Jaguars secondary.

Savage's versatility has been a key factor in his Jaguars tenure so far, with the veteran defensive back moving from the slot to the starting safety role opposite Andre Cisco in Week 7's win over the New England Patriots.

“He's played there before. It wasn't new for him," Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said on Thursday.

"That was always the, when we had him here first, nickel, safety and we had him in that dual role. I just wanted to try it last week and good communication, I thought, back there. He did some really good things in terms of his disguise and things like that. He flew around and made some plays. It was really good to see. We'll just continue to grow with that.”

It remains to be seen if Savage will remain at safety or move back to the nickel role as the Jaguars get healthier on defense. But regardless of where he plays, he is a player to watch -- and LaFleur and the Packers know this better than anybody.

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