The Green Bay Packers handled business on Thanksgiving Day, defeating the Detroit Lions to further prove who really runs the NFC North. While that was a much-needed divisional victory to close out November, the effort wasn't without a loss, as the Packers lost defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to an ankle injury in the process. That opened the door for rookie defensive tackle Warren Brinson to get more snaps.
On Friday, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed fans' worst fears, reporting that Wyatt suffered a fractured ankle that will potentially hold him out for the remainder of the campaign. While losing him for the rest of the season is a blow for the present time, Wyatt's absence could be something that works out in the Packers' favor down the line.
Devonte Wyatt’s Injury Could Be a Blessing in Disguise for Packers
Wyatt started the season hot, but things cooled off as the season progressed. Over the first six games of the season, he finished with overall Pro Football Focus grades between 60.4 and 78.7 in five games. PFF grades aren't the end-all, be-all, but Wyatt was able to generate pressure and get into the backfield until he suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss two games.
Upon his return, Wyatt didn't appear to be the same player with an average PFF grade of 40.3 in his last four outings. It's starting to look like he may not have been fully healthy, and that impacted his production on the field. And with him sidelined for the rest of the season, he'll enter the 2026 season looking to prove himself.
Wyatt will be playing on his fifth-year option next season, looking to earn an extension from Green Bay. But with his reps up for grabs, guys like Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, and maybe even Colby Wooden may take advantage, leaving Wyatt's future a bit more uncertain.
Considering these players are all on low-cost deals, the Packers may not be in a rush to offer Wyatt any sort of big-money extension, especially if they get good play on the inside. The best teams in the league find ways to get production without having to hand out boatloads of money everywhere.
Wyatt is definitely an exciting and promising player who has the traits that are wanted in an interior defensive lineman. Nonetheless, Wyatt hasn't been able to piece everything together. He has shown flashes, but this injury doesn't give him any leverage to stand on when talking to management.
The next couple of months will be about rehabbing and looking to hit the ground running when team activities begin in the offseason, and Wyatt's injury couldn't have happened at a worse time. The Packers don't have to rush and hand out a sort of extension and can use the 2026 season as a determining factor on whether they want to extend Wyatt or not.
While his injury is unfortunate on a personal level, it might be a blessing in disguise for the Packers if it helps them avoid a multi-million-dollar mistake.