The Las Vegas Raiders coaching staff is making tough decisions early in the week about their roster. On Tuesday, the Raiders have to trim their roster down to 53 players. One Raiders insider thinks the team could trade a former first-round pick before the final cuts are made.
The Raiders had high hopes for defensive end Tyree Wilson when they selected him with the No. 7 pick in the 2023 draft. Unfortunately, Wilson didn’t have a great rookie campaign. He recorded just 29 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2023.
Tyree Wilson hasn’t looked good in the preseason
Per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed with The Athletic, Wilson didn’t show enough improvement in training camp t prove to the coaching staff that he deserves a more significant role this season:
Wilson was the seventh pick in the 2023 draft, and the defensive end may have a hard time getting on the field this season. (You notice he wasn’t mentioned when we discussed the nasty defensive line.) He still has trouble getting off the ball at practice and though he is happier and healthier, according to Pierce, the bar has been lowered quite a bit.
As a No. 7 pick, he should be the Raiders starter opposite Maxx Crosby. Unfortunately, the Raiders penciled him in as Crosby’s backup, and he might have fallen further down the depth chart during training camp.
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Pro Football Focus gave Wilson a 52.9 overall grade for his play in the preseason. He’s made two tackles and two pressures in 48 snaps.
The lack of production is concerning.
Would the Las Vegas Raiders trade Wilson?
Bill Williamson with SB Nation suggested on X that the Raiders should try and shop Wilson:
Wonder if #Raiders will explore trading Tyree Wilson in next 24 hours? Does he really offer anything more than other backup DEs on roster? His value may never be higher if the team doesn’t think he’ll develop. Decision to cut bait could be helped that Telesco didn’t draft him.
Cutting bait on a former first-round pick after one season would be a drastic move by the Raiders, but the franchise has made such moves in recent years. In August 2022, the Raiders released the No. 17 pick in the 2021 draft, Alex Leatherwood.
The Raiders wouldn’t get more than a Day 3 pick for Wilson. Because they wouldn’t stand to gain much by trading for him, they should only attempt a trade if they’re about to cut him on Tuesday.
Trading Wilson would be preferable to cutting him. However, the Raiders could try patience with the 24-year-old pass rusher before conceding he’s a busted pick.
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