By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The Houston Texans released veteran outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus on Monday. He was in his 10th season with the team.
The 31-year-old was a first-round draft pick by the Texans in the 2012 NFL Draft. He will now become a free agent.
There is expected to be several teams interested in his services.
The Texans under 66-year-old first-time head coach David Culley is in a youth movement. Culley and the new front office are getting to see who will be in the team’s future for next season and beyond.
With Mercilus released, Jacob Martin is projected to be the team’s starter for their upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals. Martin was acquired in a Sept. 2019 trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
The team will have an $8 million dead cap hit this year with the departure. Houston will be responsible for a $7 million dead cap next season tied to this move.
The Texans are saving a little more than $600,000 by releasing Mercilus on their 2021 cap.
“It was 10 years ago I received the call that would forever change my life,” Mercilus said in a statement on Instagram. “The Houston Texans organization welcomed me with open arms and the City of Houston became home. To the McNair family… Thank you for believing in a kid from Akron, Ohio. To my teammates who have become my brothers for life… Thank you for the talks, thank you for having my back on the field and thank you for always coming through for my work in the community.
“Texans fans… You have been amazing! We’ve been together through both exciting and challenging times, and I’ll always admire the heart and perseverance of the Houston community. No matter what, you’ve always showed up and supported me on and off the field. God always has a plan, so now I await what’s ahead…Rock Boy out! 🤘🏾🎸”
This season, Mercilus appeared in six games with two starts. He has had 12 tackles with four tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits.
He also has 3.0 sacks.
In his career with the Texans, Mercilus has appeared in 134 games. He made 102 starts.
He has had 357 tackles with 72 tackles for a loss. Mercilus has had 115 quarterback hits.
He had 57 sacks, including a career-high 12.0 sacks in 2015. He also had two interceptions.
Mercilus had 13 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries. He had seven pass deflections.
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