Player: S Darnell Savage
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: At long last, the Steelers are signing Darnell Savage. Reported months ago, the cause of the extended delay is unclear. With Savage coming in, though, it gives the Steelers an experienced veteran backup safety. And it puts in jeopardy the position of a number of younger defensive backs. Still, Savage will have to earn his place on the roster, I’m sure.
Is the Darnell Savage juice worth the squeeze? Well, it depends on how much the squeeze sets you back, of course. But the point it, it’s taken a long time to get us to the juice. Savage is coming in to serve as depth, but it’s something they could use at safety.
After all, even if you accept that DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker are quality starters, neither are the picture of health. Both have had serious availability issues, particularly Elliott. Not that Darnell Savage hasn’t had his own concerns. But they would be one injury away from making Jalen Ramsey a full-time safety again.
I suspect that’s part of the reason the Steelers really wanted someone like Darnell Savage. They want to be able to put Jalen Ramsey all over the field, and that is their plan this year. That was their plan last year, but injuries forced them to pivot.
Savage is slight protection against that, even if you don’t want him as your every-down starter. But given that the Steelers’ other options were Sebastian Castro and Robert Spears-Jennings, it feels like a good call.
A former 2019 first-round pick, Darnell Savage has 83 starts under his belt. In his seven-year career, he has 371 tackles, 1 sack, 10 interceptions, 41 passes defensed, and 3 forced fumbles. But he’s never played more than 100 snaps on special teams in a season before. No doubt he’ll exceed that mark with the Steelers, assuming he makes the roster.
Presumably, the Steelers will be signing Savage to as veteran salary benefit deal. That would come with a reduced cap hit—and reduced job security. In other words, he would still have to earn his place on the roster. If by September they prefer to go with younger players, that is still a plausible option. But soon to be under contract, he gives them a more experienced option, as well.
With the 2026 offseason well underway and many moves made, we have stock to take. Already promisinga year of change, the Steelers are shaking things up. That is unavoidable, of course, when you gut the coaching staff. Mike Tomlin’s resignation has fundamentally changed this football team, including the players on the roster.
After a long season, the Steelers showed the ability to win the division and make the playoffs. But they also showed that their progress was minimal,since they made it no further. Two years in a row, with two different quarterbacks, they went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. The only differences are they ended the season on a higher note and won the AFC North. But it didn’t help.
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