-- After not being cleared to participate in football activities until he was fully recovered from wisdom tooth surgery, first-round safety Darnell Savage Jr. was back at the Green Bay Packers' disposal on Wednesday.

It marked the first time he practiced with the team during training camp, including his first padded practice. Ensuring that he was a full-go and ready to resume any duties the Packers have planned for him in their defense.

Those duties included entrenching him right back in with the first-string defense, right where he left off in minicamp.

"It's hard," Savage told PackersNews.com of sitting out while his peers kicked off the on-field summer festivities. "I just love being out there playing, it's fun. But at the end of the day, those guys know what's best for me. I trust the medical staff here and everybody who makes those decisions."

The Packers traded up to acquire Savage with the No. 21 overall pick in April with the intention of solidifying the back end of their defense, i.e., their safety position that underwent a bevy of changes a year ago. 

One of those changes included trading Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, another former first-round pick, to the Washington Redskins. Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine soon maneuvered cornerback -- or defensive back considering his multi-positional skill set -- to free safety in hopes of alleviating the impact.

2017 second-round pick Josh Jones saw looks at strong safety last season as well. After a hectic offseason that saw Jones request his trade from the team, he's back in the heart of the starting defense as well as the primary nickel linebacker. At times in camp, he's been part of the rotation as one of the two interchangeable safeties on the back end alongside free-agent acquisition Adrian Amos.

But while Savage gets himself back up to speed physically and becomes familiarized with his assignments, he'll almost undoubtedly be paired opposite Amos as the team's starting safety duo by the season opener. For now, it's a matter of easing Savage back into the lineup and getting him acclimated to the speed of camp.

"I don't really feel behind," Savage said. "Even though I haven't been out there on the field, I've still been getting my mental reps and making sure I'm staying up on everything.

"Plus, the older guys that I have here around me that I can ask questions and look up to; I've got such a great support cast, I guess you could say."