Mercilus’ Injury Latest Blow to Packers’ Outside Linebackers
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ outside linebacker corps continues to take a beating.
First, it was Za’Darius Smith’s back injury, which kept him out of most of training camp and ultimately required surgery.
Next, it was Randy Ramsey, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury during training camp.
Then it was Chauncey Rivers, who suffered a torn ACL at practice in early October.
All those injuries necessitated the signing of veteran Whitney Mercilus on Oct. 20. Cast aside by the Houston Texans, showed he had plenty of life in his 31-year-old legs.
However, Mercilus suffered a torn biceps while trying to sack Seattle’s Russell Wilson on Sunday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. His season is over – a crushing blow to Mercilus, who came to Green Bay to win a Super Bowl, and the Packers, who will be adding a fourth outside linebacker to injured reserve.
“Yeah, that’s a tough one,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “Man, I feel bad for him. Shoot, he would’ve had potentially a second sack right there. Just the stability he brings to that room and this guy’s a pro’s pro. He’s been doing this at a very high level for a long time. It’s just one of those unfortunate things that happen.”
In six games with Houston, Mercilus had five pressures in 110 pass-rushing opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus. In four games with Green Bay, he had 10 pressures in 80 pass-rushing opportunities. He was second on the team in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.
Mercilus collected his first sack of his Packers career when he overpowered former Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown on a third down in the first quarter. He was injured when he almost sacked Wilson on the second possession of the third quarter.
“The thing I like about Whitney, obviously, the experience in the league, his leadership,” position coach Mike Smith said last week. “He’s just a great influence to have in the room. What he brings when he’s out there, I’m happy. I was telling Gutey and those guys the other day, I think all the time I’ve been in the league, this is one of my favorites we’ve brought into the building at all the places I’ve been just because of who he is and what he brings to the table. So, I’m very lucky and very blessed to have him in our room.”
With Rashan Gary out after sustaining a hyperextended elbow, the Packers finished the game with Preston Smith and Jonathan Garvin as the only outside linebackers. Oren Burks, typically a backup at inside linebacker, got some snaps, as well.
So, clearly, the Packers will need some help at outside linebacker, even if Gary is able to play through this injury on Sunday at Minnesota.
“I think that’s something that Gutey and our entire scouting department is looking at every potential option,” LaFleur said of general manager Brian Gutekunst. “We have some guys on our practice squad and we’ll just kind of see where we have to go.”
Tipa Galeai, a first-year player who was beaten out by Rivers for the last roster spot in training camp, is the only player on the practice squad. Green Bay released La'Darius Hamilton on Saturday to make room for Aaron Rodgers from the COVID-19 list. He would be a logical option to bring back.
The Packers also lost Gary and running back Aaron Jones to injuries on Sunday.
Gary injured his elbow during the fourth quarter. A source said he escaped “major damage,” though he’d have a follow-up MRI on Tuesday.
“We’re still evaluating him,” LaFleur said.
Jones suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter. A source said it was a “mild” MCL sprain that could keep him out for only a game or two. Green Bay will play the Vikings this week and the Rams next week before getting their bye.
“Yeah, I’d say so,” LaFleur said when asked if the team had dodged a bullet. “I don’t think it’s going to be long-term, but we’ll just monitor it on a daily basis and see how fast he can heal up, because he’s certainly a guy you want out on the field. He does so much for our team, just not only from a production standpoint, but also just the energy he brings to our team is pretty contagious.”
While losing Jones for only a game or two was a major victory, losing the productive and popular Mercilus is a major blow to a defense that ranks third in the NFL in points allowed and total defense. With Smith not coming back anytime soon – if at all – it will be up to Gutekunst to find the help he thought he had procured with Mercilus.
In 2010, the Packers picked up outside linebacker Erik Walden off the scrap heap and he became a key contributor opposite Clay Matthews. Walden was just a 25-year-old, third-year player at the time. Mercilus is in his 10th season. While he believes he’s got another five years in his career, at age 31, there’s also a realization that this might be his best opportunity to win a Super Bowl.
“Man, look, I’m just going to say I’m blessed, thankful,” he said at the time. “To have everybody who saw me come up on the release block and for them to say, ‘We want you here,’ meant a lot. As far as in my career right now, to have a chance to really go for gold, man, it’s really a blessing.”
