On Friday, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst had his end-of-season press conference. There are many players whose futures are in question, especially at the QB position. However, Gutekunst took some time to praise the entire roster and singled out one player, Darnell Savage.
On Darnell Savage, Brian Gutekunst says he can do just about anything. “He has so much speed on the back end but when you put him back there, he gets further away from the ball and doesn’t have the chance to make plays,” he said. He thinks Savage will be at his best in 2023.
— zach jacobson (@itszacharyj) January 13, 2023
Brian Gutekunst Praises Darnell Savage
Savage had an interesting year. At one point, he was benched and many thought his time in Green Bay was over. However, he bounced back and had a great last four games of the season. Gutekunst loves his talent.
“He has so much speed on the back end but when you put him back there, he gets further away from the ball and doesn’t have the chance to make plays,” -Brian Gutekunst
Savage loves his speed but definitely wants Savage to be playing more down on the line. When he is near the ball, he can make more plays. It will be interesting to see if Joe Barry uses Savage any differently next season.
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A Great Turnaround
I have to stop and praise Savage for a second. He could have very easily mailed it in and pouted about being benched. Instead, he changed his outlook on the game and it earned him his spot back. He improved and made a difference including a great pick-six against the Vikings. I for one feel a lot more confident about Savage going into next season. He might not be the safety the Packers wanted him to be, he shouldn’t be a liability.
It was interesting that Brian Gutekunst chose to single out Darnell Savage in his press conference. It says a lot about what the front office thinks of him. He is in a contract year next year so hopefully, the Packers will get a contract-year type of performance.
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