INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – OCTOBER 17: Whitney Mercilus #59 of the Houston Texans stands on the sideline in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
It hasn’t taken long for veteran pass-rusher Whitney Mercilus to find a new home, as he’s reportedly headed to the Green Bay Packers.
It’s been quite the week for defensive lineman Whitney Mercilus. First, he was released by the Houston Texans on Tuesday after a stellar career with the AFC South squad. As many expected, it hasn’t taken long whatsoever for him to find a new home.
On Wednesday, NFL insider Aaron Wilson has reported that the 6-foot-4, 260-pounder is expected to head to the NFC North to suit up for the Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur.
Signing Whitney Mercilus is a wise move for the Green Bay Packers defense
Mercilus was in the middle of his 10th campaign with the Texans before he was cut this week. Since arriving to Houston in 2012, he had posted 357 tackles and 57 sacks in 134 games for the team. He’s beloved by the fan base, but it’s clear the team is in the middle of a rebuild and Mercilus had no future in Houston moving forward.
With that said, Green Bay wasted no time in reaching out to his agent to see if something could get done. The Mercilus addition makes a ton of sense for the Packers defense, especially with pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith undergoing back surgery earlier this fall. Smith’s timetable for a return is up in the air, though LaFleur is hopeful he can return this year.
With Smith’s status uncertain, general manager Brian Gutekunst went out and landed quite the available free agent to help bolster the defensive front. For Mercilus, he now goes from one of the worst teams in the NFL to joining an NFC powerhouse which has hopes of making it to the Super Bowl in February.