Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr. has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and is expected to play in Jacksonville’s season finale against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, head coach Doug Pederson shared on Friday.
Savage suffered a concussion in Jacksonville’s Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and did not play in the Jaguars’ Week 17 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
“He cleared earlier in the week, practiced the last couple of days, been looking good and feeling good. So, expect him to play,” Pederson said.
Savage missed four games earlier this season, from Weeks 2-5, with a quadriceps injury.
After signing a three-year, $21.8 million free agent contract with Jacksonville in March, Savage has recorded 42 total tackles including two for loss, one interception and six defended passes in 12 starts this season.
“[He] brings leadership, brings a veteran presence,” Pederson described Savage Friday. “When the season began, the expectation was he was going to play our nickel spot. And then we moved him back to safety, where he’s obviously comfortable back there and brought some stability there.
“Just again, another guy who loves ball … he leads by example but he also leads verbally in the locker room, too. So, he’s good to have on the team, been a bright spot, been someone that I think has really kept things going in the right direction.”
Jaguars vs. Colts is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will air on FOX.
