The Packers Face a Difficult Challenge to Replace Devonte Wyatt
By GilMartin
The Green Bay Packers scored a big win Thanksgiving day against the Detroit Lions, but they also suffered a big loss. During the game, they lost defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to what appears to be a season-ending injury. The former first-round pick out of Georgia will be a difficult player for the Packers to replace as they head into the stretch drive of the regular season and aim to win a championship.
Wyatt provides the Packers with pressure from the interior of the defensive line. He creates penetration and can utilize his quickness to disrupt opposing offenses and get quarterbacks off their game.
Thus far, Wyatt played 10 games for the Packers and had 27 total tackles including six tackles for loss. He also recorded four sacks, seven quarterback hits and knocked down two passes.
The injury took place in the fourth quarter on a play where Micah Parsons recorded a key sack. Rookie Warren Brinson accidentally rolled up on Wyatt and caused the injury.
Head coach Matt LaFleur was visibly upset when asked about Wyatt’s situation. “It doesn’t look good, guys,” coach LaFleur told reporters after the game Thursday. “I’m sick for him, I’m sick for us. I mean, that’s a critical loss for our football team, for our defense, obviously. I can’t say enough great things about him in terms of watching him mature not only as a football player but as a person. I’ve got a lot of love for Devonte Wyatt, and I think the whole locker room does, too. So, it’s a little bittersweet, I would say… We’re happy about the win but we’re sick about what happened to him.”
The injury leaves the Packers with precious little depth at defensive tackle. Currently, they have veterans Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks, and rookies Nazir Stackhouse and Brinson.
Wooden has played well against the run but provides very little in the way of pass rush. He has no sacks and just two quarterback hits all season.
Brooks has struggled with injuries of his own. He has half a sack and five quarterback hits on the season.
The Packers signed Stackhouse as an undrafted free agent for his ability to occupy blockers and help stop the run, but he’s a nose tackle, not a pass rush specialist.
That leaves Brinson as the most likely candidate to try to fill Wyatt’s shoes. He’s played in just six games so far this season but has come on in recent weeks. Brinson played more extensively against the Vikings and recorded a half sack in that game. He also led the team with five pressures. For the season, Brinson has half a sack and one quarterback hit.
As far as Pro Football Focus is concerned, Brinson has the closest pass rush grade to Wyatt, albeit in limited action. The sixth round pick out of Georgia has shown flashes of pass rush ability, but in the NFL, he has yet to show he can play well on a consistent basis.
Another possibility on the current roster is Lukas Van Ness. The former first round pick out of Iowa played defensive tackle at times in college and may be able to provide some pressure from the interior of the defensive line. Unfortunately, Van Ness has been dealing with his own injuries. He did return to the lineup against Minnesota, but he seemed to aggravate his injury after just a handful of plays and then missed the Lions game on Thanksgiving. If he’s not healthy enough to play, he can’t help replace Wyatt.
Van Ness would only move inside in obvious passing situations. He provides strong run stopping ability as a defensive end, but as a tackle, he has yet to prove he can stop the run at the NFL level.
Another option would be James Ester who has spent this season on the Packers practice squad. While he played well in the preseason, Ester has yet to take a snap in a regular-season NFL game.
The Packers and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will have to find a way to replace the productivity that Wyatt provided.
Parsons himself has been a big fan of Wyatt and admitted how much the team missed him earlier in the season when he was out of the lineup. He may have summed it up best after Thursday’s game when he said, “You guys see the difference he makes when he got back out on the field. He’s a player you can’t replace, and we’re going to have to ask a lot of young guys to step up. It’s going to be challenging but we’re going to have to really dial into our details, our fundamentals to try to replace someone that’s unreplaceable.”
The first challenge will be next Sunday when the Packers face the Bears with first place in the NFC North on the line. If they hope to win this season, they’ll have to figure out how to do it without Wyatt.
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You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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Comments (34)
Guam
November 29, 2025 at 10:09 am
I am less concerned about replacing Wyatts' pass rush than I am about stopping the run. The Packer DEs provide most of the Packer pass rush and with Van Ness returning he came play a pass rushing DT in obvious passing downs. The Packers have been vulnerable to the run and Wyatt was a disrupter as a run stopping DT. I don't know if the Packers have an obvious replacement for that skill set. Brinson and Stackhouse are going to have to step up.
Leatherhead
November 29, 2025 at 10:24 am
This may be the end of Wyatt in Green Bay. We'll have to adapt because there is no choice. I'm a Stackhouse fan, because I know that nothing screws up a run like a huge pile right where the hole is supposed to be.
The best defense that we can have against teams running on us is to put points on the board and make them keep pace. I agree that we can replace Wyatt's pass rush.
Coldworld
November 29, 2025 at 04:15 pm
We exercised his 5th year option in April. We pay him next year come what may, so he will be back.
Coldworld
November 29, 2025 at 10:57 am
Wyatt hasn’t been good against the run since his first injury. So it was hope if that returning that we lost. What we did get was some push up the middle, which is key to disturbing the quick passing attacks we saw a lot of earlier. Probably not an issue against Chicago, so 2 of the next 3 weeks, but it will be against really good teams later.
Brooks and Brinson are going to have to step up in terms of both consistency and their run play. It would be great to get Cox back. He was good against the run and might free LVN to rake more inside reps when he’s healthy. Even Gary, potentially. I have no idea if Cox is even close to returning. If not, Gute needs to be scurrying around to add depth.
LLCHESTY
November 29, 2025 at 11:57 am
"I am less concerned about replacing Wyatts' pass rush than I am about stopping the run."
Maybe you should be, the pass rush sure went cold for awhile the 1st time he went out.
gsd3
November 29, 2025 at 12:59 pm
Wyatt's option was picked up. He will be back in 26
WD
November 30, 2025 at 10:47 am
As MLF said "the loss of Wyatt is a critical loss to this team" He can not be replaced and won't be. His loss, in addition to the loss of our all pro TE sadly gives the edge to the Bears. We were barely 1-1 last year against the Bears. Moreover, these are not last years' Bears. I am taking the Packers in an upset over the Bears but only because of home field advantage. This game is our season. It is that simple.
Ferrari-Driver
November 29, 2025 at 10:25 am
They keep telling us that injuries are a part of the game and every team has them.
However losing both Tucker Kraft and Wyatt is a tough pill to swallow and while I'm walking around the house complaining about it my wife said rather than losing those two players how would you like it to be Love and Parsons. That kind of quieted me down and I drank my cup of coffee and was thankful for that.
TKWorldWide
November 29, 2025 at 11:54 am
Agree that not all injuries are created equally.
Houndog
November 29, 2025 at 10:42 am
I was pissed when they let T J Slaton walk as I thought he and Wyatt made a good pair.
Now I'm even more pissed, not at the Packers, but at the Football Gods for the moves they make at the most inopportune times!
Adding insult to injury, is that Philly took the day off yesterday to give Da Bears a late Thanksgiving turkey of a game. Da Bears now have two (2) wins against teams with winning records, but it's the growing confidence those wins bring that gives me pause. Let's hope the Pack can put it all together and show us next Sunday that Da Bears still suck!
***Here's a funny Stat*** Since 2008, and despite playing only one game per year in Chicago, (2 in 2010-2011) Aaron Rodgers still ranks 3rd on the list of QB wins at Soldier Field! LOL, kinda' exposes the quality of Bear's QB's during that same time, doesn't it?
splitpea1
November 29, 2025 at 11:28 am
Party time didn't last long, did it?
I wonder if they do call Ester up. Like Wooden, he doesn't have a lot of bulk. He has a lot of college experience and did provide some pass rush and was adequate with run defense--but obviously totally unproven at the NFL level. Other than Ester, I don't think there are any other options besides the guys we already have on the roster.
On to the Bears. Okay, they're obviously a competent team now, but how competent remains to be seen. If you watched the Eagles game, well, the home team didn't seem to interested to be playing for whatever reason. Their offense was comatose, and Hurts had the worst game I've ever seen. The Bears have a good running game though, and their OL has improved dramatically as far as scheme and technique goes. If the Packers can't stop this, it's going to be tough. With the Bears I would still lean to making the QB beat you, and getting a couple of turnovers would go a long way to helping us win.
Coldworld
November 29, 2025 at 11:39 am
If the Bears can run on as they did on the Eagles, then we don’t deserve to contend. The Lions ran all over the Giants, yet against us, that wasn’t really a factor. It looks great but it seldom extends to consistent victories against good teams. We lost to the Eagles because of how we approached the game offensively. Fortunately we did not repeat that against the Lions. The Lions can do far more than the Bears through the air. As long as we don’t lose the coaching battle, we should be fine.
LLCHESTY
November 29, 2025 at 12:04 pm
The Bears had two 3 and outs and another drive end in an interception in the 3rd quarter and came away with 7 points. If they had taken the lead there the momentum likely shifts. That 3rd quarter points to more dysfunction on the Eagles part than anything the Bears did, though the Bears OL is leaps and bounds better than last year.
Coldworld
November 29, 2025 at 04:17 pm
I think we see this similarly. The Bears almost have to run it to victory, which means not giving up points or getting a lot of turnovers.
mnbadger
November 30, 2025 at 04:09 pm
"As long as we don’t lose the coaching battle, we should be fine."
I was fine until you said that!
GPG!
jannesbjornson
November 29, 2025 at 11:47 am
Maybe they get serious about stopping a leak and make an overture to Wilkins, if he is healthy? Move it Forward, no whining.
GBPfaninMO
November 29, 2025 at 12:46 pm
Not sure if there's a real problem with Christian Wilkins, attitude or health,but prior to his injury & release he had some good stats as a DT.A known quantity vs unknown off practice squad.
Packitin
November 30, 2025 at 09:40 am
I'm glad I'm not the only one stumping for Wilkins. We have the entire week to get him acclimated. Even on a pitch count, he could help.
gsd3
November 29, 2025 at 01:05 pm
Cam Horsley is on the Titans practice squad. Primarily a run stuffer but can bring some pass rush. 18.5 tfl and 3.5 sacks while playing at Boston College. Former Hafley guy.
Starrbrite
November 29, 2025 at 06:08 pm
Good call gsd3.
bjb2012sime
November 29, 2025 at 01:07 pm
Pre-injury Wilkins was a playa, but he had a Jones fracture of his foot which was slow to heal. Raiders wanted him to have a second surgery but he declined and they released him. I don't know his current health status, but odds are against it healing without a second surgery. Would have been a great option if healthy.
Stinky Cheese
November 29, 2025 at 01:58 pm
Didn’t you guys lose to the panthers and Browns?😂😂
dblbogey
November 29, 2025 at 02:14 pm
We know how to spell "lose". You don't.
MooPack
November 29, 2025 at 02:25 pm
If LVN is finally able to go, I hope they get him some significant reps at inside 3-technique where he did at times while at Iowa and did some damage. He has the athletic ability and strength to hold ground and bull rush from inside instead of outside. He has to finish though. Right now that is his biggest draw back. As an Iowan and Hawkeye fan I'd like to see him succeed even though I was a bit skeptical when the Packers picked him. I wanted LT Broderick Jones who went next. With Parson's and his skill sets I'd like to see the Packers run some stunts with them. I think that could be very productive.
Ihappydirt
November 29, 2025 at 02:44 pm
I came here to say that Brinson didn't roll up on Wyatt. Brinson pancaked his man, who grabbed and tossed him onto the back of Wyatt's legs. Another dirty play by the filthy Lions. Glad Kerby Joseph was out or GB probably would have lost another player to a knee injury.
GBPfaninMO
November 30, 2025 at 02:00 pm
I thought last season the kitties were a dirty bunch on D seems like many others noticed as well l.
Packers0808
November 29, 2025 at 05:40 pm
I wonder if the Packers should take a look at John Jenkins DT who played the last 2 seasons for the Raiders. he is still available, his experience could be helpful in a pinch.
splitpea1
November 29, 2025 at 06:12 pm
Not available, he plays for the Ravens.
Packers0808
November 29, 2025 at 08:01 pm
You are correct, didn't realize he was picked up. What about Christian Wilkins, some baggage but maybe a cheap game rental.
splitpea1
November 29, 2025 at 08:48 pm
I don't think Gute likes baggage. Wilkins is talented for sure and would be potentially very helpful, but he probably would have been signed by now if everyone thought the foot was healthy and was able to contribute right now.
PhantomII
November 30, 2025 at 08:04 pm
Yea, This sucks....Part of the reason Wyatt came on so slow is reduced snaps overplaying others. It is what it is , but maybe someone else steps up more like #55 has with more snaps. BTW we still have not replaced D. Adams nor D. BAK with a suitable long term candidate...Big money going at the Defense and we need more reliable Offense Studs...like a #1 WR who catches most everything. It will be good to get #11-Reed back. Hopefully one of these TE's can do a 1/4 of what #85 did. Maybe, Golden does something showcasing his draft position in 2025....We have been waiting long enough for that one. GPG
Oppy
November 30, 2025 at 10:58 pm
You don't have to worry about Golden. He was a highlight reel in training camp.. he's got the skills and the talent, he just needs the seasoning and the opportunity.
My guess is that he's still making mistakes pre-snap or during his routes and he's just not quite there yet in the playbook and that's limiting his opportunities, but he's a stud waiting to happen.
If you're waiting to "replace" Davante or Bakhtiari, you could be waiting a long time. They were both exceptional- I wouldn't call either generational talent, but they were both certainly upper-echelon players at their positions and not easily replaced.
Dragon5
November 30, 2025 at 11:10 pm
those 7 LPs...tellin Curd Nation like it is for years...prove me wrong
Wyatt, Wicks, Reed, Kraft, McManus
A GM in charge of personnel that acquires too many 7s 🤕🩼🤷♂️🤦♂️
#FAIL
DragonSilk
December 02, 2025 at 06:54 am
Is Howard Green available?