One series showed rookie challenge for Savage

After getting his feet wet last week against Houston, Green Bay Packers rookie safety Darnell Savage played 22 snaps against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

As you might expect for a player getting his first extended playing time, there was some good and some bad.

The good came on the Ravens’ opening possession, when tight end Hayden Hurst tested the first-round pick with an out-and-up. Savage didn’t take the cheese, stayed right on Hurst’s hip as he took his route to the goal line and denied a deep pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Loved this rep from #Packers rookie safety Darnell Savage (@darnellsavage_) vs BAL... 22 snaps in his debut.

Good coverage/technique on the double move from TE Hurst... Can't panic with that ball in the air! More coming on @TheAthleticWISC

@CoachPaintCH is the best! pic.twitter.com/U2cSporsM9
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 17, 2019

The bad came on the next play, when he went low in an attempt to tackle tight end Nick Boyle. Instead, Savage didn’t wrap up and bounced off Boyle, who turned a minimal gain into a pickup of 7 yards.

Savage missed the first five practices of training camp after having a wisdom tooth removed but quickly supplanted Raven Greene to be the starter opposite Adrian Amos.

“It was unfortunate that he missed that time and was definitely behind,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said on Saturday. “There was some rust that I don’t know if it’s all off yet, but it was good to see him get extended the other night. He flashed some of the ability that we know he’s capable of, but still some technique things to get cleaned up.

“He tried to tackle a guy without wrapping. There were a couple times where he went to go low and didn’t get his shoulders across in front. We never talk about missing tackles but, if it does happen, we want it to be on the side where it forces the runner back into the pursuit. So, there’s some technique things that he needs to get cleaned up, and that just comes with playing in NFL games. There’s just no substitute for getting those reps. Practice just doesn’t simulate it. We’re hopeful to get him some more quality reps so he’s up to speed and ready to go for the opener.”

Savage was the second of the Packers’ first-round picks. The first was outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who has been impressive on the practice field but almost invisible in the games. In 29 pass-rushing snaps, he has just one pressure, according to Pro Football Focus. He has not collected a single tackle in 64 total snaps.

Nonetheless, Pettine said he’s pleased with Gary’s progress.

“I think it’s a transition to a position that he hasn’t played a lot of. I think that’s difficult,” Pettine said. “He’s not coming in playing something that he’s played for years and years and it’s just a natural thing. He’s not a receiver coming in and receivers are receivers. We want to get to a point where our guys are free and clear from a thinking standpoint. When guys can get lined up and know what to do, they play fast. That just doesn’t happen overnight. That takes repetitions.

“As we start to pull back and have an understanding of, ‘OK, here’s where he is now. Here’s his personal inventory. This is what he does well, this is what he needs work on,’ we’ll (see) where can he best help us based on where he is now and we’ll start to steer the scheme that direction with him. We feel good about where he is.”