The Dolphins are only a few days into training camp, but the personnel work never really stops in the NFL. That’s especially true for Jon-Eric Sullivan, who now has to keep one eye on Miami’s present and another on whatever bargain might help the roster next.
That brings the conversation to Darnell Savage.
Savage was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and his name stands out for a simple reason: Sullivan was in Green Bay when the Packers made Savage a first-round pick in 2019. That kind of overlap matters when a player hits the market.
Sometimes a GM sees a familiar face. Sometimes he sees a player he once helped bring in and thinks there might still be something left to work with.
Green Bay took Savage with the 21st pick after moving up from No. 30 with two fourth-round selections. The Packers had already used their other first-rounder on Rashan Gary, and while plenty of people expected an offensive pick, Green Bay went defense again and paired Savage with Adrian Amos, who had been signed earlier that offseason.
Savage was drafted to play free safety in Mike Pettine’s defense, a job that came with real responsibility. He also had the kind of versatility that let the Packers slide him into the slot at times, and they spent plenty of his Green Bay years testing that flexibility.
His first two seasons were the peak. As a rookie, Savage had his share of rough patches, but he also showed burst and a quick trigger around the football. He ended that year with two forced fumbles and two interceptions, then followed it up in 2020 with what looked like a breakout: four interceptions and the feel of a safety who could change games with his hands on the ball.
It didn’t keep going that way. Savage never matched that interception total again in Green Bay, finishing with just three more picks over his final three seasons there.
The ride got uneven, with a coordinator change and his own inconsistency both playing a part. In 2022, he was benched for Rudy Ford and later shifted to slot cornerback.
In 2023, he got one last chance on his fifth-year option, but the production never came - he played 10 games and didn’t make an impact play on the ball.
By the time the Packers moved on and Savage headed to Jacksonville, the promise that once surrounded him had faded. Since leaving Green Bay, he has bounced around, including time with four teams in 2025. He has one interception since the end of the 2023 season, has struggled in coverage, and carries a reputation as a shaky tackler, missing close to 17 percent of his tackles during his NFL career according to PFF.
That’s the version of Savage that just got released in Pittsburgh. But it’s also the kind of player teams can kick the tires on when they’re looking for inexpensive help, and Miami has a reason to at least consider it.
The Dolphins’ safety room has been one of the offseason’s question marks. Lonnie Johnson Jr. is projected to start after signing as an unrestricted free agent, and after him the depth chart gets hazy fast.
Zayne Anderson, Dante Trader Jr., and Michael Taafe are all in the mix for playing time during camp, but none brings a long track record of NFL production. Anderson has mostly made his living on special teams, while Trader Jr. was a fifth-round pick in 2025 and Taafe went in the fifth round in 2026.
Savage is still only 29, having turned that age in July, and that alone keeps him in the conversation as a possible low-cost addition. He also fits the kind of versatile defensive back Jeff Hafley has tended to value, even though Savage and Hafley never crossed paths in Green Bay. The examples in Green Bay and Miami include Javon Bullard and Chris Johnson, players Hafley likely supported adding to the defense.
For Miami, the question is whether Sullivan’s old connection to Savage is enough to turn a released former first-round pick into a real option. On paper, the price should be right.
The fit is there to at least look into. The only thing left is whether Sullivan wants to reunite with a player his former team once spent a first-round pick to land.
In Other News...
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Real Question Behind Malik Willis
Quinn Ewers was always going to be one of the more interesting subplots of Dolphins camp, even before the quarterback depth chart shifted around him. Miami once had plans for the young passer to grow into the job in 2026, but the arrival of Malik Willis changed the immediate outlook and pushed Ewers into a more precarious spot as the backup fighting to stay relevant.
So far, though, the first five practices have not helped his case. Ewers has looked shaky enough to raise real concern about whether he can handle the No. 2 role as the summer unfolds, and if that pattern continues, Miami may have to weigh other options to stabilize the room behind Willis. For a team that thought it had a longer runway with Ewers, this is suddenly turning into a much shorter evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Right Tackle Concern They Can't Ignore
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For Miami, the concern is less about the starter than about what comes after him. The Dolphins have limited backup options on the tackle front, which makes the position feel a lot less secure than it did when Lamm was still around as a steady insurance policy. With training camp approaching, the question is how the team protects itself if the line has to absorb another setback. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Camp Takes A Tough Turn As Two Big Changes Hit
The Dolphins training camp got a jolt on two fronts, with coach Jeff Hafley offering a mix of injury news and organizational change on the same day. Defensive lineman Rene Konga will miss the season, while tight end Greg Dulcich is dealing with a minor injury and offensive tackle Austin Jackson remains day to day, leaving Miami to sort through a few early camp adjustments as it tries to keep the depth chart intact.
Off the field, the shift at the top is just as notable, with Tom Garfinkel stepping down from his roles as president and CEO while staying on as vice chairman. The move brings another layer of transition to an already busy stretch for the franchise, and the broader implications for football operations will be a point to watch as the Dolphins move deeper into camp. [Read more 🡒]