Green Bay loses DL Wyatt for rest of season
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr., left, is hit by Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt on Nov. 23 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP photo)
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt won’t play again this season after getting carted off the field with an ankle injury in a Thanksgiving Day victory over the Detroit Lions.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur had said after the Packers’ 31-24 triumph that “it doesn’t look good” and that Wyatt probably wouldn’t be able to return this season. LaFleur confirmed Monday that it was indeed a season-ending injury.
“Certainly he’s a guy that’s going to be pretty tough to replace,” LaFleur said. “I think it just falls on everybody else kind of raising the level of their game.”
Wyatt’s injury comes as the Packers (8-3-1) prepare to close a stretch of three straight games against NFC North opponents by hosting the division-leading Chicago Bears (9-3) on Sunday.
The 2022 first-round draft pick from Georgia started each of the 10 games he played this season and had 27 tackles and four sacks. He missed victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals in October with a knee issue.
In his most recent full game before his injury at Detroit, Wyatt had two sacks as the Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 on Nov. 23.
“He was being very disruptive, both in the run game and in the pass game,” LaFleur said. “How I feel about that position is it typically takes a little bit of time. It can take a couple of years before guys really hit their stride, and I think what’s unfortunate is he’s definitely playing the best ball of his career.”
The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter Thursday on a third down play that resulted in a Micah Parsons sack. Wyatt and teammate Warren Brinson were attempting to shed blocks. As Brinson fell, he rolled into Wyatt’s leg.
“Everybody knows, football, it’s 100% injury risk in this game,” Brinson said. “Man, I’m sad that it had to be me that got Devonte hurt and you saw it after the play. After I stood up, I knew what happened right away.”
Brinson was on the field for half the Packers’ defensive plays Thursday and could have an increased role with Wyatt injured. The rookie sixth-round pick will lean on the lessons he learned earlier this season from Wyatt and from former teammate Kenny Clark, who went to Dallas shortly before the season in the trade that brought Parsons to Green Bay.
“Devonte definitely (taught me about) the physicality of the game, how he approached every day just ready to work, wanting to go attack blocks, attack people, just playing the game super violent,” Brinson said.
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