Texans Also Placing LBs Whitney Mercilus & Dylan Cole On COVID-19 List

According to Aaron Wilson, the Texans are also placing LBs Whitney Mercilus and Dylan Cole on the COVID-19 list following contact tracing. 

Those two along with OLB Jacob Martin will be out this week against the Jaguars, as they need to wait five days to clear as high-risk contacts of Martin, who tested positive today. 

This leaves Houston rather shorthanded at linebacker this week. 

Mercilus, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Texans back in 2012. He was in the final year of his five-year, $27.431 million contract that included $10.8 million guaranteed in 2019 when he signed a four-year, $54 million extension.

In 2020, Mercilus has appeared in seven games for the Texans and recorded 14 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery. 

Cole, 26, signed on with the Texans as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri State back in 2017. He played out the final year of a three-year, $1.66 million contract and made a base salary of $645,000 the 2019 season.

Cole re-signed with Houston as a restricted free agent for the 2020 season.

In 2020, Cole has appeared in six games for the Texans and recorded five total tackles.