Whitney Mercilus
Edge Rusher

Age: 31
Free Agency: 2024 (UFA)
Accrued Seasons: 9
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 258
- College: Illinois
- Entry: 2012 Draft, Round 1, #26 overall (Texans)
- 2021 Salary Cap Charge: $12,000,000 (6.24% of cap)
- 2021 Cash Payout: $10,500,000 (6.43% of spending)
- 2021 Cash to Cap Ratio: 0.88
- Contract Value: $54,000,000 ($13,500,000 APY)
- Fully Guaranteed Money: $18,000,000
- Contract Ranking: 21/203 at EDGE
Current Contract
(Extension, signed 2019)
(📝: indicates contract trigger occuring during that year)Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | Cap % | Dead Money & Cap Savings | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 29 | $5,750,000 | $2,550,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $8,800,000 | 4.2% | |||||
2020
March 22: 2021 $10.5 million base salary vests to a full guarantee.
| 30 | $10,500,000 | $1,500,000 | $0 | $10,500,000 | $12,000,000 | 5.5% | |||||
2021 | 31 | $10,500,000 | $1,500,000 | $0 | $10,500,000 | $12,000,000 | 6.2% | |||||
2022 | 32 | $12,750,000 | $1,500,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $14,500,000 | 6.4% | |||||
2023 | 33 | $12,250,000 | $1,500,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $14,000,000 | 5.8% | |||||
Total | $51,750,000 | $8,550,000 | $1,000,000 | $21,000,000 | $61,300,000 |
Contract Notes
Whitney Mercilus signed a 4 year contract extension on December 28, 2019 with the Houston Texans. The contract is worth $54 million in new money with $18 million guaranteed full at signing. Mercilus received a $7.5 million signing bonus, along with a $10.5 million salary guarantee (full) in 2020. Mercilus' $10.5 million salary in 2021 is guaranteed for injury only at signing, but will vest to a full guarantee on the 5th day of the 2020 league year; bringing the total guarantee to $28.5 million. Mercilus can earn up to $250,000 ($15,625 per game active) in 2022 and 2023.Whitney Mercilus signed a 4 year contract extension on May 5, 2015. The contract contains $10,681,012 in full guarantees including a signing bonus of $5.25 million. Mercilus base salaries in 2015 and 2016 are both fully guaranteed. He is elibible for per game active roster bonuses in each year of his exension. The Texans increases his cap charge by $550,000 in 2015 with the extension.Career Earnings: $51,290,346
Career APY: $5,698,927
Potential Earnings: $87,290,346
Total Guarantees: $34,884,096
Largest Cash Payment: $13,750,000 (2019)
Largest Cap Number: $14,500,000 (2022)
Contract History
Team | Contract Type | Status | Year Signed | Yrs | Total | APY | Guarantees | Amount Earned | % Earned | Effective APY |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texans | Drafted | Renegotiated | 2012 | 4 | $7,634,096 | $1,908,524 | $6,203,084 | $6,203,084 | 81.3% | $2,067,695 |
Texans | Extension | Renegotiated | 2015 | 4 | $26,000,000 | $6,500,000 | $10,681,012 | $20,837,262 | 80.1% | $5,209,316 |
Texans | Extension | Active | 2019 | 4 | $54,000,000 | $13,500,000 | $18,000,000 | $24,250,000 | 44.9% | $12,125,000 |
Earnings By Team
Team | Yrs | Salary | APY | Paid on Cap | % Paid on Cap | Paid as Dead Money | % Paid as Dead Money |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texans | 9 | $51,290,346 | $5,698,927 | $47,102,846 | 0.0% | $0 | 0.0% |
Season History
Year | Team | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | Cap % | Cash Paid | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Texans | $390,000 | $998,018 | $0 | $0 | $1,388,018 | 1.2% | $4,382,072 | ||
2013 | Texans | $737,004 | $998,018 | $0 | $737,004 | $1,735,022 | 1.4% | $737,004 | ||
2014 | Texans | $1,084,008 | $998,018 | $0 | $1,084,008 | $2,082,026 | 1.6% | $1,084,008 | ||
2015 | Texans | $931,012 | $2,048,018 | $0 | $931,012 | $2,979,030 | 2.0% | $6,181,012 | ||
2016 | Texans | $4,500,000 | $1,050,000 | $250,000 | $4,500,000 | $5,800,000 | 3.7% | $4,750,000 | ||
2017 | Texans | $4,500,000 | $1,050,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $6,018,750 | 3.5% | $4,656,250 | ||
2018 | Texans | $4,750,000 | $1,050,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $6,300,000 | 3.3% | $5,250,000 | ||
2019 | Texans | $5,750,000 | $2,550,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $8,800,000 | 4.2% | $13,750,000 | ||
2020 | Texans | $10,500,000 | $1,500,000 | $0 | $10,500,000 | $12,000,000 | 5.5% | $10,500,000 | ||
2021 | Texans | $10,500,000 | $1,500,000 | $0 | $10,500,000 | $12,000,000 | 6.2% | $10,500,000 | ||
2022 | Texans | $12,750,000 | $1,500,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $14,500,000 | 6.4% | $13,000,000 | ||
2023 | Texans | $12,250,000 | $1,500,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $14,000,000 | 5.8% | $12,500,000 | ||
Total | $68,642,024 | $16,742,072 | $2,250,000 | $28,252,024 | $87,602,846 | $87,290,346 |
Statistics
Year | Games Played | Games Missed | Snaps | Tackles | Negative Plays | Interceptions | Fumbles | TD | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Injured | Healthy | Defense | Special | Solo | Assist | Sacks | Yards | TFL | QB Hits | Pass Def. | INT | Yards | Forced | Rec. | Yards | |||
2012 | 16 | -- | -- | 46.6% | 41.9% | 20 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2013 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 91.4% | 18.0% | 33 | 14 | 7 | 36 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 71.2% | 29.8% | 31 | 19 | 5 | 30 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2015 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 70.9% | 31.2% | 32 | 20 | 12 | 60 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
2016 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 86.0% | 21.7% | 36 | 17 | 7.5 | 56.5 | 13 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
2017 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 19.8% | 3.0% | 9 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 73.6% | 13.7% | 22 | 17 | 4 | 28 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 88.5% | 0.2% | 33 | 15 | 7.5 | 44.5 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 88 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
2020 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 55.5% | 0.0% | 12 | 9 | 4 | 19 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Valuation Diamond
The diamond is a scatterplot graph that visualizes the relation of the player's APY (in green) and performance (in blue, as measured by OTC's Valuations) to the rest of the league at his position. To understand how to read the diamond, read this explainer.
OTC Valuation | APY | |
---|---|---|
Regular | $2,552,000 | $13,500,000 |
Injury Adjusted | $2,552,000 | $13,500,000 |
test
Weekly Valuation Trends
The chart below illustrates the trend of the player's weekly OTC Valuations (in blue) from the most recent season, using APY (in green) and, if applicable, cash that is due to the player in the next season (in red) as benchmarks. Weeks not plotted indicate that the player was inactive or on a bye.
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