Packers lose defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt for rest of season with ankle injury

“Certainly he’s a guy that’s going to be pretty tough to replace,” LaFleur said. “I think it just falls on everybody else kind of raising the level of their game.”

Wyatt’s injury comes as the Packers (8-3-1) prepare to close a stretch of three straight games against NFC North opponents by hosting the division-leading Chicago Bears (9-3) on Sunday.

The 2022 first-round draft pick from Georgia started each of the 10 games he played this season and had 27 tackles and four sacks. He missed victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals in October with a knee issue.

In his most recent full game before his injury at Detroit, Wyatt had two sacks as the Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 on Nov. 23.

“He was being very disruptive, both in the run game and in the pass game,” LaFleur said. “How I feel about that position is it typically takes a little bit of time. It can take a couple of years before guys really hit their stride, and I think what’s unfortunate is he’s definitely playing the best ball of his career.”

The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter Thursday on a third down play that resulted in a Micah Parsons sack. Wyatt and teammate Warren Brinson were attempting to shed blocks. As Brinson fell, he rolled into Wyatt’s leg.

“Everybody knows, football, it’s 100% injury risk in this game,” Brinson said. “Man, I’m sad that it had to be me that got Devonte hurt and you saw it after the play. After I stood up, I knew what happened right away.”

Brinson was on the field for half the Packers’ defensive plays Thursday and could have an increased role with Wyatt injured. The rookie sixth-round pick will lean on the lessons he learned earlier this season from Wyatt and from former teammate Kenny Clark, who went to Dallas shortly before the season in the trade that brought Parsons to Green Bay.

“Devonte definitely (taught me about) the physicality of the game, how he approached every day just ready to work, wanting to go attack blocks, attack people, just playing the game super violent,” Brinson said. “Kenny had that physicality part, but Kenny also had the mental edge of being a 10-year vet, so he was a guy where it comes to little nuances of football and learning about different things like backfield sets, splits, stuff like that, Kenny taught me a lot of stuff in that regard.”

Nazir Stackhouse, a rookie undrafted free agent, may get more playing time now as well. Karl Brooks also could have more responsibilities once he returns from his ankle injury that sidelined him for the Lions game.

Brinson, Stackhouse and Wyatt all played together at Georgia.

“There’s an elephant in the room, yes, can we sustain ourselves on the field with one of our best DTs getting out?” Stackhouse said. “Yes, we can, and we’re going to be able to prove that these last four or five games of the season. I just can’t wait for the opportunity because we’ve been doing nothing but busting our (butts) at practice, during camp. Every day, it’s an opportunity to go out there and prove ourselves.”

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