Packers Activate 5th-Year Defensive Starter Ahead of Chiefs Game

Getty Safety Darnell Savage of the Green Bay Packers.

The Green Bay Packers have won two games in a row and are back on the scent of the playoffs, which makes their Week-13 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs all the more important.

To that end, the Packers activated Darnell Savage off of the injured reserve list (IR) on Saturday, per the team’s official website. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that the safety will play on Sunday, December 3, against the Chiefs at Lambeau Field.

“The #Packers activated S Darnell Savage to the 53-man roster and he’ll play Sunday,” Rapoport wrote as part of an X post on Saturday.

Darnell Savage Was Having Bounce-Back Year for Packers Prior to Calf Injury

GettyGreen Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage will play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13.

Savage suffered a calf injury back in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. He nursed his leg over the following bye week before hurting it again against the Denver Broncos. Savage has missed the last five games due to the injury.

The Packers designated Savage for return from IR two weeks ago, and the safety was able to practice all week long. As such, the move to activate him Saturday was not a surprise.

Savage entered the 2023 season with significant pressure to perform after two relatively unproductive campaigns. A former first-round pick in 2019, Savage is playing his fifth season in Green Bay. The team picked up its $7.9 million fifth-year option on the safety’s contract following the 2021 season after signing Savage to a four-year, $12.5 million rookie contract.

Despite his earlier struggles, Savage started out this year playing fairly well. He has been particularly good against the run, per Pro Football Focus. Savage’s teammates also consider him a leader in the locker room, and thus his return to the field should provide a significant boost for both the defense and the team as a whole.

“I just think he’s a guy that’s played a lot of football for us,” head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday. “Obviously, he’s got a great grasp of what we’re trying to accomplish. He’s a hell of a communicator, and he’s a rangy guy. I think that’s what he’s brought for a long time.”

Packers RB Aaron Jones to Miss 2nd Straight Game with Knee Injury

GettyGreen Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones suffered a knee injury during the team’s Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Beyond activating Savage, the Packers also elevated running back James Robinson from the practice squad following the news that starter Aaron Jones would sit Sunday for a second straight game due to a knee injury.

Jones hurt his knee in a Week-11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. After this weekend, the running back will have missed a total of five games in 2023. He also suffered a hamstring strain early in the year that cost him multiple contests.

The Packers have added and dropped Robinson several times this season, though he could see real action against the Chiefs. Green Bay put running back Emmanuel Wilson on IR late last month with a shoulder injury, leaving AJ Dillon as the team’s only healthy rusher prior to Robinson’s elevation Saturday.