The Green Bay Packers might have won the day with their season-sweeping win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, but they also lost a core contributor.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Packers star defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt suffered a fractured left ankle in the fourth quarter of the team’s 31-24 win over the Lions, one that will expectedly sideline him for the rest of the year.
Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also reported that Wyatt sustained “significant ligament damage” in his left ankle in addition to the now-confirmed break.
“Coach Matt LaFleur said post-game that it didn’t look good, indicating a major injury,” Rapoport wrote on X on November 28. “Wyatt’s season is expected to be over.”
Wyatt had collapsed in the fourth quarter after rookie teammate Warren Brinson rolled up his lower left leg while trying to get to Lions quarterback Jared Goff. He remained down on the field in evident pain for several minutes before riding the cart off the field.
The Packers (8-3-1) will have a long week to adjust to losing Wyatt as they prepare to host the Chicago Bears (8-3) in Week 14 for their first of two divisional matchups.
Devonte Wyatt is a ‘Critical Loss’ for Packers Defense
Wyatt, a 2022 first-round pick, has been the Packers’ top interior defensive lineman throughout the season and a critical component in their run defense, which showed against the Lions as he helped hold star Jahmyr Gibbs to just 68 yards on 20 carries.
While he had missed two games earlier in the season, Wyatt had also been on track to finish with career-highs in total tackles (27 in 10 games) and sacks (four in 10 games).
Now, the Packers must figure out how to replace a “critical loss” to their defense as they fight to regain control over the NFC North over the final five games of the 2025 season.
“I’m sick for him. I’m sick for us,” LaFleur said in November 27’s postgame. “I mean, that’s a critical loss for our football team, for our defense, obviously. And I can’t say enough great things about him in terms of just watching him mature, not only as a football player, as a person.
“I’ve got a lot of love for Devonte Wyatt. I think the whole locker room does, too. So, it’s a little bittersweet.”
Packers Likely to Add DT Depth Before Bears Game
The Packers have not outright confirmed that Wyatt will miss the remainder of the season, but the most likely next step for them is placing Wyatt on injured reserve.
Once that happens, though, the Packers will most likely need to add more defensive tackle depth, even if they feel confident about Brinson stepping into Wyatt’s shoes.
The Packers are now without both Wyatt and Karl Brooks at the position, ruling out the latter before Thanksgiving’s game with an ankle injury that held him out for the entire week of practice. Brooks had played through his ankle injury in Week 12’s win over the Minnesota Vikings, but his absence in Week 13 raises questions about his availability.
Even if Brooks returns in Week 14 against the Bears, the Packers will likely need help to supplement the position behind Brinson, third-year contributor Colby Wooden and rookie Nazir Stackhouse. They could promote James Ester from their practice squad, but the second-year UDFA has yet to play any regular-season snaps in the NFL.
Alternatively, the Packers could pursue another veteran defensive tackle in free agency. Christian Wilkins — who had nine sacks in 2023 — is still available, as are Armon Watts and Maurice Hurst. Any of the three could help bolster depth on the Packers’ roster.
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