Whitney Mercilus Fantasy Stats

Former Houston Texans pass-rusher Whitney Mercilus announced on his Instagram account on Wednesday that he is retiring from the NFL. Mercilus played for the Texans and Green Bay Packers last year, recording 17 tackles (nine solo), five tackles for loss, five QB hits and four sacks in 10 games (two starts). He spent the previous nine seasons with the Texans after they drafted him in the first round (26th overall) back in 2012 out of Illinois. Mercilus will ultimately finish his NFL career with 362 tackles (237 solo), 73 tackles for loss, 117 QB hits, 58 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries in 138 games (102 starts) over 10 seasons.

Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (biceps), who was thought to potentially be out for the rest of the season when he tore his biceps in Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks, was designated to return from Injured Reserve and returned to practice on Thursday. Along with edge rushers Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, the Packers could be getting both Mercilus and Za'Darius Smith (back) back for a postseason run. It remains to be seen if either Mercilus or Smith can play next week for the Packers, but getting just one of them back would be a huge boost to a Packers defense that has really improved this year despite those key injuries.

Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (biceps) tore his biceps muscle in the Week 10 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season, according to a source. Fellow outside linebacker Rashan Gary (elbow) hyperextended his elbow in the same game, but his injury wasn't as serious and he's hoping to play in Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings. But with injuries to both outside linebackers, Preston Smith and Jonathan Garvin may be asked to step up in the short term until Gary is able to return. Oren Burks and Tipa Galeai are two other options at the position. There also remains hope that star pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith (back) can return at some point in 2021 after getting injured in Week 1.

Former Houston Texans defensive end Whitney Mercilus is expected to sign with the Green Bay Packers, according to a league source. Mercilus was released by Houston just two days ago, but the former first-round pick will find a new home quickly. The 31-year-old veteran pass-rusher did have three sacks and 12 tackles (six solo) in his six games with the Texans before being cut. Don't expect Mercilus to play right away or have more than a rotational role on Green Bay's defensive line, but he will surely add some experience to the Packers pass-rushing depth moving forward.

The Houston Texans and linebacker Whitney Mercilus restructured his contract on Wednesday. The 2022-23 seasons were converted to voidable years, so Mercilus is now scheduled to become a free agent after this season. With the move, the Texans will free up $4 million in salary cap space. Mercilus will get his $6 million bonus paid by the end of 2021 rather than over 34 weeks like his base salary. A roster bonus was also added if there is a 17th regular season game. Mercilus signed a four-year extension in 2019 worth up to $54 million, with $18 million fully guaranteed. His $12 million cap hit has been reduced to $8 million for the 2021 season. The 31-year-old edge rusher was a first-round pick in 2012 and has 54 career sacks in 128 career games with Houston. Mercilus' best season came in 2015, when he had 12 sacks in 16 games.

The Houston Texans placed outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday. It's unknown if Mercilus tested positive for the virus himself or if he was deemed a high-risk close contact of someone else who did. Either way, he won't be available to play in Week 16 against the Bengals. Mercilus has not been fantasy relevant in IDP leagues this year with only 21 combined tackles (five for loss), seven QB hits, a fumble recovery and four sacks in his 13 games for Houston. The Texans Defense is thin in the secondary and hasn't been much of an option for fantasy managers in 2020, but they're on the streaming radar this Sunday against a weak Bengals offense under either quarterback Brandon Allen or Ryan Finley.

Houston Texans linebackers Whitney Mercilus and Dylan Cole have been placed on the COVID-19 list. The move comes after news that the Texans closed their facility due to a positive test from linebacker Jacob Martin, who is considered a close contact of both Mercilus and Cole. Mercilus has 14 tackles and three sacks in seven games this year, though the Texans Defense has struggled mightily. They'll be without Martin, Mercilus and Cole when they face the Jaguars in Week 9. The game is still set to be played. Even a bit short-handed on defense, the Texans D is worth starting this week with quarterback Jake Luton under center for the Jags.

The Houston Texans and linebacker Whitney Mercilus reached an agreement on Saturday on a four-year deal that will keep him from reaching free agency after the 2019 season, according to a source. Financial terms of the deal weren't given. The 29-year-old Mercilus has 48 total tackles (33 solo), 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two interceptions on the season to help keep Houston's defense afloat with pass-rusher J.J. Watt (pectoral) injured again. Mercilus does it all in the middle of the field for the Texans, and his presence is even more important without Jadeveon Clowney as well. If he records a sack in the regular season finale, it'll be his second highest sack total in a single season -- he had 12 back in 2015.

After a hamstring injury kept Houston Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus out for the preseason, there were questions about his availability for the team's season-opener against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports that Mercilus will be ready to suit up for the Texans in Week 1, though, providing a boost to the team's defensive upside. Still, the Texans defense is likely to struggle in a road game against the Patriots and should be avoided in shallow leagues. Meanwhile, Mercilus's IDP potential remains low on a defense with plenty of strong defensive players. He ranks outside the top 50 at linebacker.

Houston Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus has been out of practice the last few days with a minor undisclosed soft-tissue injury, and he is not expected to play in the first preseason game on Thursday against the Chiefs. Mercilus is expected to make a full recovery in the preseason. The 28-year-old played in just five games last year due to a torn pectoral muscle. He's a little overshadowed on this Texans defense with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney gaining most of the attention, but Mercilus had 12 sacks and 52 tackles in 2015 and also secured 7.5 sacks in 2016. He could be an excellent value pick in IDP leagues if he can stay healthy in 2018.