The Green Bay Packers have 17 players with expiring contracts entering the 2024 offseason, including 12 unrestricted free agents.

In this upcoming series, I will be going through each of the Packers’ unrestricted free agents this offseason, exploring why Green Bay would decide to re-sign each player, why they would choose to move on, and finally, I’ll predict what I think the Packers will do.

Next up is safety Darnell Savage. Playing out the 2023 season on a fifth-year option, Savage battled injuries, missing seven games. When on the field, he was improved compared to the 2022 season and took on a leadership role within the secondary. However, overall inconsistency from Savage, specifically as a tackler, still occurred

Right now, the Packers have very little safety depth, with just Anthony Johnson, Benny Sapp, and Zayne Anderson on the roster, who, combined, have played fewer than 400 career defensive snaps, with most of that playing time belonging to Johnson.

Bringing Savage back – or signing any free agent safety – won’t impact how the Packers tackle the position in the draft. Safety will still be a big need come April. However, having an experienced player like Savage to pair with a rookie can provide some stability at the position. Sure, last season, the Packers were willing to rely heavily on inexperienced players throughout the roster, but expectations this season are going to be much, much higher.

Pairing a veteran with an early-round draft pick is often how GM Brian Gutekunst has operated. In 2019, after signing Adrian Amos in free agency, Gutekunst drafted Savage. After signing Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith, he drafted Gary. Lukas Van Ness was then paired with Gary and Smith, Eric Stokes with Jaire Alexander, AJ Dillon with Aaron Jones, and of course, Jordan Love with Aaron Rodgers, among others.