JACKSONVILLE – The vibe is real, and it's good.
Darnell Savage said he felt it immediately upon joining the Jaguars, and it remains strong as his first offseason with the team continues.
"We want to be great," he said.
Savage, a defensive back who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent this past March, spoke to senior writer John Oehser for this week's 2024 offseason O-Zone podcast. He discussed multiple topics, including his role in the secondary and the Jaguars' defense under coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
"He and everybody on the defensive side, they're just fiery," Savage said of Nielsen, hired in January after serving as the Atlanta Falcons' defensive coordinator last season. "You come to work with guys like that every day, it's just the energy just bounces off everybody.
"It bounces off the walls and you feel like you don't have a choice but to bring that same energy. I think that's going to benefit us all."
Darnell Savage, the No. 21 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, spent his first five seasons with the Packers. Of acclimating to his new surroundings, he smiled and said, "Let's start with the weather," and added seriously:
"As far as Green Bay, I really I cherish my whole experience there. That will live with me forever. But just to be somewhere new and especially a place like this with just new beginnings and the vibe around here and the people that we have in the locker room, the coaches that we have – everything – just in its totality is an exciting opportunity."
He spoke further of the vibe around the Jaguars this offseason: "We want to do something special here. I really think that we're building the building blocks to do that. I'm excited for it. Everybody in the locker room is excited for it. I hope that the city is excited for it as well.
"We just want bring this thing together and get win some games."
Nielsen this week discussed Savage as a player who will play safety, nickel and play man coverage "in a pinch." Savage, when asked to describe his role, smiled.
"I play defense," he said, adding: "That's always been me. I've always been able to adapt to whatever I've been asked to do."
And if a new team in his sixth NFL season marks a fresh start, Savage said that's a good thing.
"I just know there's so much more for me out there," he said. "I'm a true believer in everything happens for a reason. And I think a storm's coming."
To listen to the entire O-Zone Podcast with Savage, please click HERE.
