Sure looks like the Jaguars are better off using Darnell Savage as a safety

When the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Darnell Savage in free agency, they envisioned him playing nickel even though he mostly lined up at safety during his stint with the Green Bay Packers. At the time, it made sense because the former first-round pick had fared well when he manned the slot. However, the Jags had to reconsider the original plan and have deployed him in his natural position. So far, it's paid off.

After spending his first five seasons with Green Bay, Savage signed a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Jags. He suffered a quad injury in the opener and sat out three games. The former Maryland Terrapin returned to the lineup in Week 5. Up until that point of the season, he had mostly lined up at nickel but moved to safety in Week 7.

Sophomore Antonio Johnson mostly played in the slot as a rookie but switched to safety in 2024. He had trouble making the transition, which prompted the coaching staff to bench him in favor of Savage. The change has paid off.

Savage is coming off his best game of the season. Apart from logging an interception, his first in Jaguars uniform, he gave up a passer rating of 29.2 and just one reception on 42 coverage snaps. On top of that, his 87.2 Pro Football Focus overall grade was the fourth-best among safeties in the NFL in Week 10.

Darnell Savage has been a factor for the Jaguars in recent weeks

The Jaguars' defense was among the worst in the NFL in the first half of 2024. At one point, they were 31st in points allowed and total yards surrendered. That's certainly not the kind of production the team's brass expected when they hired Ryan Nielsen and went on a spending spree in free agency.

Nielsen was brought in to get the most out of an underachieving group. When he was hired, he emphasized the need for pursuit, technique, and fundamentals, something the defense was lacking last year. To ensure he had enough pieces at his disposal, the front office gave new contracts to Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell. Moreover, they signed defensive lineman Arik Armstead and defensive back Darnell Savage.

It took Nielsen and his unit a while to gel, but it looks like they have at last hit their stride. In Week 10, they limited the Minnesota Vikings to 12 points and prevented them from reaching the end zone. On top of that, the defense registered three interceptions, more than they had for the season entering the game.

One big reason for the defense's recent success has been Savage's play. Heading into the Week 11 matchup against the Detroit Lions, he's been named the sixth captain. That's a statement of the impact he's had in his first season in Jacksonville.

Unfortunately, Armstead hasn't had the same kind of impact, but that's mostly because he's mostly played on the edge despite the fact that he's better suited to play in the interior. Then again, he could improve as the season progresses.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars found a keeper in Darnell Savage. If he keeps playing the way he has since switching back to safety, they'll finish the season on a strong note.

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