The Green Bay Packers picked up the huge Thanksgiving win they needed over the Detroit Lions, but it came at a cost.
Unfortunately, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt suffered a significant ankle injury. Head coach Matt LaFleur said he felt sick for Wyatt and that the injury "doesn't look good." LaFleur's fears have been confirmed.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Wyatt suffered a fractured ankle and will miss the remainder of the season.
Devonte Wyatt injury leaves Packers with an unfixable void on defense
It's a huge loss for the Packers' defense. Wyatt is one of the truly irreplaceable players on this side of the ball. His four sacks rank third on the team behind only Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, with Quay Walker the next closest with 1.5 sacks. Per Pro Football Focus, he also generated 22 pressures in 10 games.
The Packers had started using Micah Parsons and Wyatt together inside, a nightmare scenario for offensive linemen.
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His absence leaves the Packers thin at the interior spots. Karl Brooks, who missed Thursday's game due to an ankle injury, will likely become a starter when he's healthy. Green Bay needs him to elevate his production alongside Colby Wooden. Behind them, rookies Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse could see an increase in snaps, although Stackhouse is a two-down run defender and doesn't offer much as a pass-rusher.
Help isn't on the way, either, as the free agency pool is thin at the position. The Packers will need to search for depth, but they're unlikely to find an impact starter.
We could see Lukas Van Ness take more inside snaps, but he also needs to get healthy. The 2023 first-round pick has played only six snaps since Week 6 due to a foot injury. Van Ness missed the Thanksgiving win, and it's unclear if he will be ready to return for the game against the Chicago Bears next week.
Injuries happen and the Packers must adjust, but this is a tough one.