Packers rookie Darnell Savage changes jersey number from 26 to 21

Amid the roster cuts and decisions by the Green Bay Packers’ personnel department this weekend, one player whose spot was not in jeopardy made a notable change as well. Safety Darnell Savage, Jr., a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has elected to change his jersey number.

Savage wore 26 from draft day through until this weekend’s cuts, but evidently he had another number in mind. Savage is now wearing number 21, which had belonged to fellow safety Natrell Jamerson. Jamerson claimed that number when the Packers picked him up on waivers from the Houston Texans late last season and held it until this weekend, when the team waived him. With the number now available, Savage apparently elected to pounce.

This is unfortunate news for Packers fans who bought Savage jerseys this offseason, as the purchases are now already out of date. However, they could also be collector’s items in the future, particularly if Savage goes on to have a long, fruitful career in Green Bay.

21 has been a staple number of important defensive backs for the Packers in recent years. Cornerback Charles Woodson wore those digits from 2006 to 2012, and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix had them from 2014 until the team traded him midway through the 2018 season. The number also belonged to cornerback Bob Jeter during the Lombardi era; Jeter was a starter on the teams that won Super Bowl I and II and was a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro.

This change may also be a nod to rapper 21 Savage.