When the Las Vegas Raiders selected Tyree Wilson with the 7th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it was anticipated that his career might start slowly due to a foot injury from his junior year at Texas Tech. Despite missing a significant portion of training camp because of this injury, Wilson managed to play in all 17 games.
Nevertheless, his rookie season was underwhelming, as he only recorded 3.5 sacks and showed limited progress. Early indications suggest that his second year may not see a significant improvement, and the rise of defensive end Malcolm Koonce could further limit Wilson’s playing time. Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report recommended that the Raiders consider trading Wilson while he still holds some value.
Fowler noted in his August 14 column, “Despite his struggles and current depth chart position, some teams might view Wilson as a raw yet promising edge rusher with potential. Trading him now could allow the Raiders to acquire proven talent or additional draft picks to address other needs, such as strengthening the offensive line or secondary.”
The competitive nature of the AFC West might mean the Raiders would benefit more from acquiring immediate-impact players rather than waiting for Wilson’s uncertain development.
Although Wilson has only completed one season, his potential could still attract interest from other teams. If his performance doesn’t improve, his value is likely to decrease.
The challenge with trading Wilson is that the Raiders might not recoup the value of the top-10 pick they invested in him. A recent case is former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a seventh-round pick after just one season, partly due to off-field issues that Tyree Wilson does not have.
The defensive end’s talent far exceeds the value of a seventh-round pick. The Raiders should only consider a trade if they can obtain at least a second-round pick in return, as anything less would mean losing substantial value.
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Wilson’s talent is too significant for the Raiders to give up on now. Standing 6-foot-6 with nearly 36-inch arms and great strength, he has struggled with technique and speed but should improve with more experience.
Fortunately, the Raiders don’t need Wilson to be an All-Pro this year. With defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Koonce combining for 22.5 sacks, Wilson’s role will primarily be to provide pass-rushing depth and possibly shift inside to defensive tackle. If he can surpass his 3.5 sacks from 2023, the Raiders will likely view his progress positively.
Wilson’s development will also influence whether the Raiders decide to re-sign Koonce after the season.
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