Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the only veteran the Pittsburgh Steelers waited a few months for this offseason. The team waited even longer for an answer from safety Darnell Savage.
But Tuesday, the safety signed the dotted line.
NFL insider Aaron Wilson posted on X that Savage’s agent, Seth Katz, told Wilson that the safety has signed his contract with the Steelers.
“Darnell is excited about playing for the Steelers,” Katz also told Wilson.
The deal comes 12 weeks after Savage was expected to sign with Pittsburgh. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported that news on March 10.
Wilson reported Savage was signing with the Steelers on March 25. Since then, though, it’s been silent on the safety’s front whether or not he would actually play in Pittsburgh this fall.
Darnell Savage is entering his eighth NFL season. He has spent a vast majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers, who selected the safety in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Last season, Savage played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills. Over 12 games in 2025, he posted 18 combined tackles, three pass defenses and one forced fumble.
Steelers Officially Sign Safety Darnell Savage: Report
GettyNFL insider Aaron Wilson reported the Pittsburgh Steelers officially signed veteran safety Darnell Savage on Tuesday.
When Savage was expected to sign in Pittsburgh during March, Steelers Depot reported, via Over the Cap, the safety was signing for a base salary of $1.3 million.
That’s the league minimum for the upcoming NFL season. Obviously, that makes the veteran safety a significant bargain.
Savage wasn’t able to stick with one team last season. The Jaguars and Commanders each released Savage during the 2025 campaign.
But if on the roster in Pittsburgh, the safety should provide depth in the secondary.
The Packers picked Savage at No. 21 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. In his seven NFL seasons, he’s played 72 games for Green Bay and 25 contests for other teams. Savage started 69 games for the Packers.
In Green Bay from 2019-23, the safety posted 302 combined tackles, including nine tackles for loss. He also had 32 pass defenses, nine interceptions and one sack.
Before bouncing around the league last fall, Savage started 13 games for the Jaguars in 2024.
Steelers Safety Depth With Savage Joining the Roster
GettySavage is joining the Steelers nearly three months after the team was expected to sign him.
Early in 2026 NFL free agency, the Steelers also signed fellow veteran safety Jaquan Brisker. With Savage officially on the roster, Pittsburgh has four very experienced safeties on the roster.
In addition to Brisker and Savage, the Steelers also still have DeShon Elliott and Jalen Ramsey. Although he’s played cornerback for a vast majority of his career, Ramsey could start at safety and slide to the slot with five defensive backs on the field.
The Steelers have plenty of safety depth to do that.
Second-year safety Sebastian Castro is also back with the Steelers. Although a 2025 undrafted free agent, Castro played eight games for Pittsburgh last season. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly reported Castro has performed well early at offseason workouts.
In the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers also added safety Robert Spears-Jennings. Fellow safeties Jack Henderson and Makari Paige are also on the team’s offseason roster.
After the long wait for Savage to sign, it will be interesting to see how quickly he joins Steelers practices. The team will hold its mandatory minicamp from June 2-4.
Steelers Finally Have Resolution With Safety Darnell Savage: Report