Though Darnell Savage had never played for the Washington Commanders, it feels a bit like a homecoming for the former University of Maryland safety.
"It's definitely exciting," Savage said in the locker room following Wednesday's practice. "We live our life on the road a little bit. You go to college, you go to the pros. So just to be back home, be near my family, they can come see me play, come kick it, come and enjoy my company. I can enjoy theirs. [It's] a special experience."
Savage is excited for the opportunity to join the team he rooted for growing up, and the Commanders hope the 2019 first-round pick can make a difference and get up to speed in a secondary that lost starter Will Harris for the foreseeable future. It's unclear when he will get implemented into the lineup, but Savage is eager to prove the Commanders made the right decision to bring him in.
"I gotta gain their trust, earn their trust, and I just wanna be a part of the family," Savage said. "We're gonna go out there, we're gonna make plays, we're gonna take the ball away."
Savage, taken 21st overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2019, certainly has the resume to earn his new teammates' trust. He's started in 82 games since he was drafted and recorded 354 tackles. He's recorded 39 pass breakups in that span with at least one interception every year since he joined the league. He's spent the last two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, although a Week 2 release left him with several suitors interested in his services.
The Commanders ended up being his top choice, not just because they had the most obvious need at safety, but also because of all he had heard about the culture head coach Dan Quinn had established within the team.
"You got a lot of guys in here that love each other, that go hard for each other," Savage said. "That's what makes the team a team, just the love and the camaraderie playing for each other, playing for your coaches. There's a lot of that going on in there. So, it's fun to be a part of."
When asked about whether he wants to play in the Commanders game against the Atlanta Falcons, Savage said "of course," but it's ultimately not his decision. First, he needs to learn more about defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.'s scheme. Fortunately for a veteran like Savage, there isn't much of a learning curve.
"I've been in the league for a while, so I've been in quite a few systems," Savage said. "This one has a lot of similarities to some of the stuff I've done before. That's the biggest thing is just getting all the verbiage down and like I said, getting the guys that's gonna be out there with me to trust me."
The best way for Savage to do that: prove that he is trustworthy.
"Just doing the right things; communicating with them, talking, getting to know them. I just got here. They're already in the heat of the season. I just wanna be a part of what they got going on. So, just doing my part and really being intentional about it."
When Savage does get on the field, the Commanders are hoping he can provide some quality depth while Harris deals with his fractured fibula. There are some similarities between Harris and Savage's skill set, and his familiarity with the system as well as defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons, who coached Savage during his rookie season, could mean he will get on the field quickly.
"He was popping off our defense because he had gone through our film already," Whitt said. "He's an extremely smart guy and so hopefully he can grasp it soon and so we can get him out there."
Regardless of when he gets on the field, Savage's main priority is to raise the defense's ceiling.
"It is good to go somewhere where you're wanted, and I'm excited to be here," Savage said.
