Could Darnell Savage be a good fit for them?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomCarolina Panthers Film RoomPanthers 2019 NFL DraftFilm room scouting report on Maryland safety Darnell SavageNew Stitched Greg Olsen Jersey ,43commentsThe Panthers need to add a safety to their roster. Could Darnell Savage be a good fit for them?EDTShareTweetShareShareFilm room scouting report on Maryland safety Darnell SavageArt Pittman-USA TODAY SportsDarnell Savage was a three-star recruit from Carvel High in Delaware. He committed to Maryland over Rutgers, Syracuse, and Temple. Savage started 45 games at safety for the Terps. During his four years on campus, he finished with eight interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and nine tackles-for-loss. Savage was named to the Second Team All Big 10 in 2018. Savage is an elite athlete. His testing numbers placed him in the 88th percentile according to SPARQ. Film reviewSavage was utilized all over the defense for the Terps. He matched up with wide receivers in the slot, he played deep safety Youth Kawann Short Jersey , and he lined up in the box. His best work is in the intermediate to short areas of the field. He has very good instincts and awareness in zone coverage.Savage’s read and react ability is one of his best traits. He has a strong sense of timing and rarely wastes any steps in his movement. On this pick-six, Savage is reading the quarterbacks’s eyes the entire time. He reads the out route and then shows his excellent speed to break on the ball.Savage is responsible for this pass breakup as a result of his instincts in zone coverage. He’s reading the quarterback’s eyes, but what makes this impressive is how much ground he covers to tip the ball. He stays low in his stance, but explodes once he reads the route.Savage does not properly read the route on this play, but this is where his elite athleticism shines. The wide receiver does a nice job of committing outside, which forces Savage to take a couple false steps. However, Savage recovers well and lays out for the breakup.Savage is notorious for making plays before the snap too. He is already creeping towards the box Stitched Kawann Short Jersey , but once he reads the running back’s swing route he quickly flies to the ball to prevent any damage.As a run defender, Savage is quick to diagnose and fly downhill to make a play. He lines up in the back half of the formation, but he reads the fly sweep and takes the correct angle for the stop. Savage is lined up as the deep safety on the strong side (left of formation) on this play. The offense is running a sweep and then reverse. As soon as Savage reads the hand off, his speed and physicality take over. He doesn’t face much resistance from blockers, but that’s due to his speed to instantly get in the backfield. Despite his aggressive tendencies, Savage doesn’t over pursue often or take many wrong angles. He reads the direction of the run, comes downhill to force the running back outside Youth Trai Turner Jersey , and then finishes once the back hesitates. Fit with CarolinaThere is a perception that the Panthers need a true deep lying free safety for their defense to be successful. Sure, it’d be great to have that player but those players don’t come around often. Darnell Savage has the requisite skill set to pair with Eric Reid on the back end. His range, instincts, and production prove that he can hold up in pass coverage. His run defense adds another dimension with his ability to diagnose and react. I have strong doubts that he will be available in the second round, but if he is Carolina should rush to the podium. A year later it appears the Panthers selected the right star to play defensive tackle" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteCat Scratch Readera Carolina Panthers communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsAboutPanthersOddsShopStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomThe Panthers made a good decision to sign Dontari PoeNew,25commentsA year later it appears the Panthers selected the right star to play defensive tackleESTShareTweetShareShareThe Panthers made a good decision to sign Dontari PoePhoto by Grant Halverson/Getty ImagesI admit I was one of those fans who questioned whether the Panthers made a smart decision to let free agent and former first round selection Star Lotulelei walk away. There didn’t appear to be many free agents on the market that could step in right away, except for one. In a surprising move for the Panthers Stitched Trai Turner Jersey , they signed free agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe to a three year deal. The move turned nervous apprehension into cautious optimism. A year later I think we can say it was a good move, at least from the comparison of the two players and the contracts they were given. In both cases the Panthers came out on top after year one. According to Pro Football Focus, Poe outplayed Lotulelei in 2018. Before I go any further I will say neither player lit it up. Poe finished the season the No. 66 ranked defensive tackle in the league. That’s not very impressive when their are only 32 teams. Lotulelei was even lower in the rankings, coming in at exactly No. 100. Now before you rail on the low rankings remember there is a difference in the two tackle positions and much depends on the scheme as well. Poe is No. 54 against the run only, which is really what his main job is, stop the run. When you look at the contracts between the two players there is a clear winner there too. The Buffalo Bills signed Lotulelei to a five year deal that averages $10 million a season.Before you declare Lotulelei a declining player you should know many Bills fans see his job as being very thankless:While that is not a glowing endorsement, I’m sure some Bills fans see it more rosy. By comparison the Panthers only committed three seasons to Poe at an average of $9.3 million per season. From Spotrac:So here we are ten months later and we can say for sure who was right and who was wrong on this very blog last May when Mick Smiley posed the question ‘Is Star worth $10 million a season’:Seventy-eight percent of CSR readers said no Youth Ryan Kalil Jersey , and after the first year I think it is clear they were correct. Sometimes we are actually pretty smart at this football fandom thing.