IMAGE: Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) is carted off the field after an injury against the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field. / Lon Horwedel / Imagn Images
The Green Bay Packers are facing a tough blow up front. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt is believed to have suffered significant ligament damage in his left ankle – an injury that could sideline him for the remainder of the 2025 season.
And while a broken ankle might sound worse on the surface, ligament damage tends to be trickier. Bones heal with time and rest; ligaments?
They’re less predictable, and the recovery timeline is often longer and more complicated.
Wyatt will fly back to Green Bay with the team and undergo an MRI to confirm the extent of the damage. But unless the results bring a surprise twist, it’s looking like his season is over.
That’s a big loss for a Packers defensive line that’s already been through some serious reshuffling. Wyatt was a key piece on the interior, especially after the team traded longtime nose tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys in the blockbuster deal for Micah Parsons. With Clark gone and Wyatt now likely out, Green Bay’s depth at defensive tackle is being tested in a major way.
Next man up? That would be Karl Brooks, assuming he’s healthy.
Brooks missed the recent game against the Lions with an injury of his own, but if he’s ready to go, he’s the most likely candidate to step into Wyatt’s role. Behind him is Warren Brinson, a sixth-round rookie who’s still getting his feet under him at the NFL level.
At nose tackle, Colby Wooden is currently holding down the starting spot, with Nazir Stackhouse backing him up.
This isn’t just a depth issue – it’s a schematic one, too. Without Wyatt, don’t be surprised if the Packers lean more heavily on their “Cheetah” package on passing downs.
That’s their go-to personnel grouping when they want to get three defensive ends on the field at once, typically sliding someone like Parsons or Lukas Van Ness inside to rush from the interior. It’s a package designed to maximize speed and pressure, and it helps keep the defensive tackles fresh while creating mismatches up front.
Van Ness, by the way, is working his way back into the mix. He missed time with a foot injury but returned last week against the Giants. He was held out against Detroit, but with a mini bye week in the rearview, the hope is that he’ll be ready to take on a bigger role moving forward – especially now, with the defensive line rotation in flux.
Losing Wyatt stings. He’s a disruptive presence in the trenches and was set to be a foundational piece moving forward, especially after the team picked up his fifth-year option this past offseason. He’ll still be under contract for 2026, but in the short term, the Packers will have to get creative – and lean on youth – to hold the line.
