Whitney Mercilus

Mercilus has been dogged by injuries the last two seasons which contributed to his dropoff in sacks. Although he played 16 games in 2018, he was slow to recover from a preseason hamstring injury. For the first time since 2016, he's healthy at the start of training camp and, if defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is to be believed, will be moved around with the hope that he can provide increased pressure on quarterbacks. Mercilus totaled 37.5 sacks over his first five seasons prior to 2017 and 2018.

After playing 78 of 80 games over the first five seasons of his career, Mercilus missed 11 games in 2017 with a pectoral muscle injury. His loss, coupled with J.J. Watt's leg injury, turned the Texans into one of the most porous defenses in the league. Without the quarterback pressure those two typically apply, the passing defense suffered -- Houston fell to 24th in pass defense last season after ranking second the previous season. Mercilus was medically cleared in April and participated in organized team activities. With 38.5 sacks over 85 games and playing opposite Watt, the great disruptor, Mercilus should be a sought-after IDP candidate.

Mercilus is finally starting to get his due. He’s been a disruptor since his rookie season in 2012, registering no fewer than five sacks in any of his five NFL seasons. He’ll start at outside linebacker in 2017 and will benefit playing the same side as a healthy J.J. Watt, a player to whom offensive lines dedicate multiple bodies, as well as having Jadeveon Clowney on the other side.

The plan the last couple of seasons has been to have Mercilus come off the bench, but injuries forced him to into a bigger role -- 23 starts the last two seasons -- and the Texans have benefited. The former first-round pick registered a career-high 12 sacks in 2015 and added three more in the playoff loss to the Chiefs. He's recorded 30 sacks while missing just one game in four NFL seasons. If he's not a starter in 2016, he'll certainly be on the field in passing situations. Twelve sacks are a bit lofty, but there will be opportunities as teams need to throw numbers at defensive standout J.J. Watt.

Mercilus filled in for the injured Jadeveon Clowney (knee) and re-established his value after it looked like Clowney was poised to take over the starting outside linebacker job Mercilus had held his first two seasons. With Clowney on the PUP list during training camp, he's not a lock to make the starting lineup when Houston kicks off the regular season. Until that time, Mercilus will continue to start.

Mercilus will start at one of the outside linebacker positions for Houston. With 13 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, Mercilus is one to watch as an IDP.

Mercilus, Houston's first-round pick in the 2011 draft, is slated to replace the departed Connor Barwin (Philadelphia) as a starting outside linebacker (the Will). As a rookie, he recorded 6.0 sacks and forced two fumbles. He's the next big pass-rushing threat on Houston's defense.

The team's first round pick this season, Mercilus will provide the Texans with a speed pass rusher on the edge, playing as a defensive end or outside linebacker.