Darnell Savage Debuts at No. 12

In less than 50 days, the Jacksonville Jaguars will begin the 2024 season, hoping to put the nightmare of 2023 behind them. In their pursuit of an AFC South title and a playoff spot, the Jaguars will need the core of their roster to defeat the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and the rest of the opponents on their schedule.

But who are those players? Which players will be the ones to determine whether the Jaguars find their way back to the playoffs?

We will attempt to answer that question in two series. One series will begin in July, while the other will continue until week 1.

So… who are the 25 best players on the Jaguars’ 2024 roster? We break it down below.

No. 12: Darnell Savage

The Jacksonville Jaguars had not made a major investment in their nickel cornerback position for several years until last March. That changed this year, when the Jaguars secured the services of former Green Bay Packers first-round pick Darnell Savage in free agency.

And while Savage wasn’t always a full-time lock for the Packers, it appears that his primary home will be in Jacksonville. Not his only role, but his most important, given the Jaguars’ transition to a new defensive scheme that requires versatility and man coverage.

“He’s focused on nickel, on safety. In an emergency, he can run, so we can put him in man coverage situations. So he’s a great guy to have,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said during the offseason.

“I’m really happy that our front office, Trent (Baalke), and those guys brought him in. That guy’s been fantastic in terms of just being around us, learning the system, where does he fit in? So today he’s going to be everywhere, which is nice. I’m really looking forward to getting out there with him and seeing where he’s at and going from there.”

Savage hasn’t disappointed so far, showing off his sticky coverage skills and top-notch athleticism during the first week of training camp. The occasionally miscast Packer now appears to be in a place where he’s growing as a consistent performer.

“Yes, we looked at the athlete, the type of player he was and the positions he played. But, a little bit of a different system, but we felt like he would really fit in with what we do here and be successful.”

Our top 25 so far…

No. 25: Logan Cooke

No. 24: Ezra Cleveland

No. 23: Roy Robertson-Harris

No. 22: Walker Little

No. 21: Brian Thomas Jr.

No. 20: Ronald Darby

No. 19: Antonio Johnson

No. 18: Mitch Morse