Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tyree Wilson's Development is Making Strides

Originally posted on FanNation Raider Maven
By Carter Landis | Last updated 12/19/23

When the Las Vegas Raiders selected defensive end Tyree Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they knew his development would be more of a marathon than a sprint.

This was the case for several reasons: Wilson had foot surgery in November of his final season at Texas Tech and would need time to heal and rehabilitate on the field. He was also considered to be a raw, unrefined player as a pass rusher.

Those two things resulted in a rough start to Wilson’s rookie campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson generated just six total pressures in the season's first seven games, one quarterback hit and one sack. He was playing a considerable number of snaps but was not producing or effective.

In the second half of the season, Wilson has shown improvement. He has generated nine total pressures and two sacks. His production has gradually increased, and the Raiders’ plan to bring him along slowly has begun to pay off.

Wilson has seen his snap count increase in recent weeks. After seeing a career-high 38 snaps against the Detroit Lions, Wilson only saw as many as 32 in the next four weeks. Against the Minnesota Vikings, he played 37 snaps, and a new career-high 45 snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Now that Wilson is healthy, the Raiders are giving him more opportunities to impact the game on the defensive line.

Not only are they giving him more snaps, but they are playing him all over the defensive line. He has lined up on the edge, over the center, and over guards. The Raiders may have unlocked something with Wilson’s ability to line up in different places.

Wilson still has a long way to go to become the player the Raiders envisioned when they selected him, but his development timeline has been on schedule. It was initially discouraging to fans, seeing Wilson struggle while other edge rushers like Houston Texans’ edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. immediately produce.

However, as the season goes on, Wilson has looked much more comfortable playing the run and rushing the passer. He is putting his 6-foot-6, 275-pound frame to use and is coming into his own as a rookie.

Wilson got off to a slow start in his career for good reasons, but the rookie has finally shown flashes of brilliance that fans have been waiting to see.

The Silver and Black will return to action versus their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Christmas Day in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Don't miss it on Monday, December 25, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

This article first appeared on FanNation Raider Maven and was syndicated with permission.

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