Texans’ Whitney Mercilus wants to be usual disruptive self
Aaron Wilson Aug. 26, 2020 Updated: Aug. 26, 2020 7:26 p.m.
After a 7½-sack season in 2019, Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus received a four-year, $54 million contract extension.
Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
For nine years, Whitney Mercilus’ trademark pass rushing moves have spelled trouble and a significant amount of pain for NFL quarterbacks.
The Texans’ veteran outside linebacker drills and disrupts QBs, utilizing spin moves, swim moves, bull rushes and chops to escape blocks.
Mercilus’ methods and staying power have allowed the former first-round draft pick from Illinois to record 50 career sacks, 105 quarterback hits and 13 forced fumbles.
That kind of ability to finish allowed Mercilus to get off to an extremely fast start last season. In the first eight games, he totaled 5½ sacks and four forced fumbles.
After defensive end J.J. Watt tore his pectoral against the Raiders, Mercilus’ production dipped during the final eight games of the regular season.
He finished with a team-high 7½ sacks, including two in a key December road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Mercilus went through seven games without a sack as offenses adjusted their blocking schemes to pay extra attention to him during Watt’s absence.
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