Steelers Sign Darnell Savage to One-Year Deal
The Steelers signed darnell savage to a one-year contract, adding a veteran safety who has played 88 games and made 82 starts in his first seven NFL seasons. Pittsburgh also released defensive back Makari Paige in the related roster move.
Savage Brings 88 Games
Savage entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, going 21st overall to the Packers. His NFL path has stretched across Green Bay from 2019 to 2023, then Jacksonville, Washington and Buffalo in 2024 and 2025.
That kind of stop-and-start resume still comes with volume. Savage has 367 tackles, including 273 solo stops, plus 40 passes defensed, 11 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one sack.
He also has 10 career interceptions for 141 yards and one touchdown. The Steelers are buying experience here, and his numbers show a defensive back who has logged a lot of snaps in different roles and systems.
Packers Years And Big Plays
Savage’s best stretch came in Green Bay. He started all 15 games he played in during 2020 and led the Packers with four interceptions, then started all 17 games in 2021 and finished with 63 tackles, two interceptions, nine passes defensed and two tackles for a loss.
In 2022, he recorded 57 tackles and was tied for fourth on the Packers with five passes defensed. He also intercepted Kirk Cousins and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown, one of two pick-sixes in his Packers run.
His final year with Green Bay included another postseason swing. Savage started all 10 games he appeared in and intercepted Dak Prescott in the NFC Wild Card game, returning it 64 yards for a touchdown.
Steelers Add Depth
After leaving Green Bay, Savage signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and started all 13 games he played. He finished that season with 51 tackles, 41 solo stops, six passes defensed, two tackles for a loss and one interception.
In 2025, he split time among the Jaguars, Commanders and Bills and appeared in 12 combined games. He closed that season with 25 tackles, including 18 solo stops, three passes defensed and one forced fumble.
The Steelers now get a defensive back with 46 college games at Maryland, where he started 37 times and posted 182 tackles, eight interceptions and 22 passes defensed. For Pittsburgh, the move adds a player with a first-round pedigree and a long track record of starting experience while trimming the roster at the same spot.
