Tyree Wilson

Raiders Could Trade DE Tyree Wilson?

The Raiders’ loss on Sunday dropped them to 2-6 on the year. Especially with a first-year GM-HC tandem in place, it would come as little surprise if a seller’s stance were to be adopted ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Maxx Crosby remains untouchable, but Jakobi Meyers is among the receivers viewed as a strong candidate to be dealt. Regardless of what happens on that front, other Raiders could be the subject of trade calls. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated adds Tyree Wilson to that list.

Wilson entered the league with high expectations as the seventh overall pick in 2023. Questions were raised about his ceiling based on a good-not-great finish to his college career, but the Texas Tech product has been a regular on defense during his Vegas tenure. Wilson has logged a snap share between 44% and 50% during each of his three NFL seasons.

Over that span, however, he has not managed to develop as hoped in terms of pass rush production. Wilson notched 3.5 sacks as a rookie before upping that total to 4.5 the following year. So far in the current campaign, his playing time has dipped slightly compared to 2024. Wilson has amassed a pair of sacks and six QB pressures this season while sharing time with Malcolm Koonce as a complementary piece to Crosby along the edge.

Koonce was retained on a one-year deal this offseason, allowing him to rebuild his value after missing all of last season. He has only managed one sack so far in 2025, a far cry from the eight-sack showing Koonce delivered during his last healthy campaign. The Raiders could elect to move on in his case, although as a pending free agent Koonce would not generate much in the way of a return.

Wilson could be viewed as a relatively high-upside target by comparison. The 25-year-old is under contract through at least 2026, and an acquiring team could extend that by one season by exercising his fifth-year option. Even in the (likely) event that were not to take place, Wilson would represent more than a half-season rental. That could provide a slight boost to his trade price in the event the Raiders were willing to move on.

John Spytek and Pete Carroll were not in place when Wilson was drafted, a factor which could be key in determining if a trade takes place. No links to suitors have been made so far, but as Breer notes Wilson’s ability to line up on the edge and along the defensive interior could make him an attractive depth piece as contenders look to add for the stretch run.

Tyree Wilson Suffers Knee Sprain; Raiders Eyeing Edge Rush Addition

The Raiders’ pass rush was already shorthanded to begin the campaign, and the unit was dealt another blow on Sunday. Tyree Wilson suffered a knee sprain during the team’s loss to the Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport notes Wilson’s knee is intact. While further testing is yet to take place, that is an encouraging sign the worst-case scenario has been avoided. Nevertheless, Wilson could be in line for missed time, something which would exacerbate the absence of Malcolm Koonce. A knee injury suffered during practice this week landed Koonce on injured reserve, and he is in danger of missing the entire 2024 campaign.

Wilson was in line to handle an increased workload in the wake of Koonce’s injury. The 2023 seventh overall pick logged a 44% snap share as a rookie, although his production fell short of expectations. Wilson totaled 3.5 sacks, a stark contrast to the eight Koonce managed while operating opposite Maxx Crosby. Missed time will halt Wilson’s development, although a long-term absence may not be in store for him.

Given the injuries suffered along the edge, though, Vegas will likely be in the market for an addition. Head coach Antonio Pierce said on Monday general manager Tom Telesco is “working on” bringing in depth options at the defensive end spot (h/t Vic Tafur of The Athletic). It would come as no surprise if free agent workouts including some of the top veterans on the market were to take place over the coming days.

Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue, Romeo Okwara and Shaq Lawson are among the most experienced edge defenders who are unsigned at the moment. The Raiders currently have nearly $28.5MM in cap space, so a short-term addition would certainly be feasible. How the team proceeds will no doubt be heavily influenced by Wilson’s prognosis, but Vegas will be worth watching in the near future with respect to a signing aimed at providing depth.

Raiders Activate Tyree Wilson From NFI List

Tyree Wilson will finally begin practicing with the team that drafted him seventh overall. The rookie Raiders defensive end is off the active/NFI list as of Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Raiders had kept Wilson’s timetable murky, but having their top rookie available to start the season has always been the expectation. Wilson is no longer eligible for the reserve/NFI list to start the season; that designation would have cost the Texas Tech product four games.

Although the Raiders did extensive work on quarterbacks during the pre-draft process, they chose Wilson with their top pick. Viewed as a candidate to go as high as No. 2 overall, the former Big 12 pass rusher’s potential upside generated considerable buzz despite the foot injury being in the recent past. Wilson’s senior year with the Red Raiders ended during a Nov. 12 game against Kansas, and the highly touted prospect underwent two surgeries — a second in March — to repair the damage. Some teams did not clear Wilson during pre-draft physicals; the Raiders were one of the teams that did.

Totaling seven sacks for a second straight season, Wilson still earned first-team All-Big 12 acclaim for his 2022 work. He is expected to be used to help keep Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones fresh this season. With Jones’ three-year, $51MM contract not including any 2024 guarantees, it is not difficult to see the Raiders planning to move on and go with Wilson opposite Crosby next season. For now, the team will have a promising three-rusher setup ahead of Wilson’s rookie season.

The Raiders considered moving down to pick up extra selections, but they used a first-round pick on an edge player for the third time since 2014. The other two — Khalil Mack and Clelin Ferrell — are gone. A 2019 fourth-rounder, Crosby has taken Mack’s place as a long-term cornerstone. Both Crosby and Wilson are signed through the 2026 season.

Raiders DE Tyree Wilson Expected To Be Available For Week 1

Well into August, the Raiders have not had their top rookie on the field at any point this offseason. Defensive end Tyree Wilson remains on the non-football injury list while recovering from surgery which addressed a Lisfranc injury.

The Raiders expected him to be activated in time for the start of training camp, but that has still yet to take place. Wilson was one of the more intriguing prospects in this year’s edge class due to his injury history. Vegas remained high on him, however, and stayed put at the No. 7 slot to select him. Despite his continued absence, head coach Josh McDaniels is confident Wilson will be cleared for the start of the season.

“I’m going to hope so,” McDaniels said, via Tashan Reed of The Athletic, when asked about Wilson’s projected Week 1 readiness (subscription required). “As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to be out there. There’s been nothing that has told us that that’s not going to happen.”

Wilson put up underwhelming numbers at Texas A&M but his production jumped considerably after transferring to Texas Tech. He posted 14 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss across his two years with the Red Raiders, putting him firmly on the first-round radar. Wilson should be expected to serve in a rotational role behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to start his pro career. The Raiders eyed Wilson in part to ease the workload of the latter two, but missed reps in training camp will surely hinder his early development.

In another development on the D-line, Jerry Tillery has seen time at defensive end during camp (Twitter link via Reed). The former Chargers first-rounder has primarily been used on the inside during his career, but his skillset has always lent itself more to pass-rush production than run defense. Especially with Wilson sidelined, there have been snaps available for Tillery – whom the Raiders claimed off waivers and subsequently re-signed on a two-year deal – to try his hand at practicing as a base end.

It will be interesting to see if the Tillery experiment continues once Wilson is cleared to return. The team is confident that will happen soon, and his presence will be welcomed as the Raiders look to turn the corner defensively compared to last season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/23

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league as teams prepare their rosters for training camp:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

There are some big names in Baltimore that won’t be healthy to open camp. Two offensive youngsters who can’t seem to stay on the field, Dobbins and Bateman, continue to struggle to get healthy. Bateman sat out most of the spring after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help get him back in time for camp. While he didn’t report, general manager Eric DeCosta expects him back soon, according to the team’s editorial director Ryan Mink. Dobbins has started thinking about his second contract this summer, and getting healthy will be key to gaining any leverage in negotiations. Ricard is no surprise, as head coach John Harbaugh predicted this placement a month ago. Bowser, though, experienced an unexpected flare up in his knee this spring after missing eight games last season.

In Cleveland, Goodwin experienced a medical scare recently when discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath turned out to be blood clots in his legs and lungs, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. He will miss the start of training camp as the clots are addressed.

In Denver, a kicking competition appears to be in the cards. The team held a workout for Maher, Elliott Fry, and Parker White back in May and ended up signing Fry. Now, with Maher joining the team, and the exit of Brandon McManus, the position battle between Maher and Fry will continue.

In Wisconsin, Gary and Stokes each ended their season after Week 9 of last year due to long-term injuries. Both will continue slowly working their way back in order to play big roles on defense.

In Vegas, Wilson, this year’s seventh overall pick, will have to be patient in finding his way to the field for his rookie year. He was expected to be cleared for training camp after ending his college career with a Lisfranc injury, but he’ll have to wait just a bit longer. The Raiders are counting on him to relieve some of the defensive responsibilities of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby.

Raiders Notes: Hobbs, Pass Rush, Jacobs

Let’s round up a few notes on the NFL’s Sin City franchise:

  • Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs, a fifth-round pick in 2021, earned nine starts in his first professional season and started all 11 contests he appeared in last year (he missed six games with a broken hand). Working primarily as a boundary corner, the Illinois product regressed a bit from his strong rookie campaign, when he spent most of his time in the slot. Per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required), Hobbs would like to return to nickelback, where he apparently feels more comfortable. However, Tyler Hall, who played in seven games (three starts) for Las Vegas in 2022 after joining the club’s taxi squad in October, is expected to push Hobbs for that role.
  • During this year’s predraft process, we learned that the Raiders were eyeing Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson and believed that Wilson (or a similar player) could ease some of the burden on Chandler Jones, thereby making Jones more productive after the veteran underwhelmed during his first season in Vegas. Of course, the club ended up selecting Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick, and as Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the Raiders hope that Wilson’s presence will allow both the 33-year-old Jones and soon-to-be 26-year-old Maxx Crosby to see less time on the field. The coaching staff envisions a rotation among the three players to keep everyone fresh, healthy, and productive. Indeed, Wilson himself saw his final college season cut short due to a Lisfranc injury, though he is expected to be cleared in time for training camp.
  • The Raiders also want to create more of a rotation for their running backs. Assuming franchise-tagged RB Josh Jacobs does not hold out — both he and the club are reportedly motivated to strike an accord on a multiyear deal prior to the July 17 deadline — he will obviously be the feature back. But as Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, the team wants to expand the roles of 2022 draftees Zamir White and Brittain Brown in an effort to ease Jacobs’ workload and, perhaps, to begin preparing for a Jacobs departure in 2024.

Raiders Expect DE Tyree Wilson To Be Cleared For Training Camp

After plenty of speculation as well as trade offers, the Raiders elected to remain at their No. 7 slot in this year’s draft and select Tyree Wilson. The defensive end’s arrival has been met with high expectations but also concerns over his health.

Wilson’s final college season was cut short due to a Lisfranc injury, and the surgery he underwent as a result was a red flag for some teams in the build-up to the draft. His production at Texas Tech, along with his overall build and skillset, however, convinced the Raiders to retain their top-10 position in the first round and make him the second edge rusher to hear his name called.

The recovery from surgery has cost Wilson OTAs as well as minicamp, but his progress in rehabbing his foot should allow him to see the field next month. The Raiders expect him to be cleared in time for training camp, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. That would of course mark a welcomed development for team and player, given the expectations Wilson will face in the NFL.

The 6-6, 275-pounder will be tasked with helping the Raiders improve in the pass-rush department along their new-look defensive front. A rotational role behind Chandler Jones may be likely at first, but Wilson’s long-term future should see him serve as a complimentary edge defender opposite Maxx Crosby. That trio will aim to improve on the 27 sacks the Raiders registered last season in particular, and help the team take a step forward on defense in general.

Given his missed time, it would come as no surprise if the Raiders were to proceed cautiously with Wilson when he does begin practicing for the first time. Presuming that does take place in July, though, he will still have considerable time to acclimate himself to the NFL game ahead of his rookie season. His success in returning to full health during the summer will be a key storyline for Wilson and the Raiders during the remainder of the offseason.

Raiders Sign Round 1 DE Tyree Wilson

The list of 2023 first-rounders who have inked their rookie deals in recent days continues to grow. The Raiders announced on Friday that they have sign defensive end Tyree Wilson to his first NFL pact, which is four years in length and includes a fifth-year team option.

Wilson was long considered one of the top defensive prospects in this year’s class, and ranked among the best edge rushing options. While Alabama’s Will Anderson was generally seen as the safer prospect, momentum emerged during the pre-draft process that the Texans may have had Wilson rated higher given his ceiling. That put the latter in the conversation to go No. 2 overall, but Houston ultimately drafted quarterback C.J. Stroud with their top pick, then traded up to No. 3 to add Anderson.

Medicals were seen as one reason why the Texans shied away from Wilson, who was limited to 10 games in 2022 by a foot injury. Despite the missed time, the former Red Raider posted seven sacks for the second straight season, adding a career-high 61 stops and 14 tackles for loss. Those totals helped earn him first-team All-Big 12 and All-American honors from a number of outlets, and cement his status as a first-round lock.

Vegas did extensive homework on the top quarterbacks in this year’s class, despite the presence of three QB-needy teams ahead of them in the first-round order and the signing of veteran Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason. As expected, three signal-callers were selected in the first four picks, which left the Raiders with a number of options to consider by the time they were on the clock. A trade offer from the Cardinals for No. 7 was not accepted, meaning Vegas stayed put rather than dropping to the 12th spot in the order.

Doing so left Wilson available, and the Raiders were happy to select him. He should have an immediate impact on a defense which struggled across the board in 2022, including in the pass-rush department. Wilson could fill a rotational role behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, the latter of whom only has guaranteed money remaining on his contract for one more season. If he reaches his potential, Wilson could soon find himself as a full-time starter as the Raiders look to take a needed step forward in their front seven.

Cardinals Made Offer For Raiders’ No. 7 Overall Pick

The Cardinals made three trades during the draft’s first 33 picks, moving down twice and climbing up to land Paris Johnson. The middle trade came together late, with the Cardinals’ late offer evidently stopping the Lions from making a shocking pickJahmyr Gibbs at No. 6 overall.

Before GM Monti Ossenfort made a successful trade proposal to Detroit counterpart Brad Holmes, the rookie Arizona front office boss made an offer to the Raiders. The GMs discussed the No. 7 overall pick in a deal that would have moved the Raiders down to No. 12, NBC Sports’ Peter King reports. Arizona’s proposal would have sent Las Vegas the No. 33 overall pick, it appears, which would have given the Raiders three picks between Nos. 12 and 38.

Although the Raiders met with this draft class’ top five quarterbacks, Josh McDaniels said just before the draft (per King, granted war-room access) the Raiders had four non-quarterback prospects targeted at No. 7, but the team mulled the Cardinals’ offer for the pick. As McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler considered the move down to 12, the Cardinals ended up making the trade with the Lions.

The Raiders ended up with Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson at 7, but King adds McDaniels pondered the prospect of the team adding draft capital and then selecting Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison at No. 12. The Raiders were high on both Harrison and Johnson, which makes the draft route they ended up taking rather interesting. Not only did the Silver and Black not select a tackle over the weekend, they did not draft any offensive linemen. Harrison ended up 27th overall to the Jaguars.

Vegas made a move up at No. 35 to select Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, and by the time Round 3 ended, the Raiders had added both Mayer and wide receiver Tre Tucker. (The Raiders had attempted to trade back into Round 1 with Mayer in mind, per King, who adds the Chiefs discussed No. 31 with their rivals briefly.) They have now used two premium picks on pass catchers and gave Jakobi Meyers $16MM fully guaranteed. As of now, the Raiders would be set to field an offensive line consisting entirely of players on the 2022 roster. Though, the team did re-sign Brandon Parker, a tackle who missed last season due to injury. While considerable doubt existed about the Raiders’ O-line going into last season, the blockers helped Josh Jacobs become the first Raider to win the rushing title since Marcus Allen in 1985. Pro Football Focus rated Las Vegas’ O-line 10th last season, though McDaniels’ Harrison reference points to the team targeting that position.

Regarding the player the Raiders took in Round 1, teams voiced concerns regarding the talented pass rusher’s injury past. The Raiders are one of the teams to clear Wilson medically, Ziegler confirmed, joining the Cardinals and Texans (likely among others). Not all teams cleared the former Big 12 standout. Several teams said, via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, they would not have taken Wilson due to the Lisfranc fracture that ended his senior Red Raiders season. Wilson, who also dealt with back trouble last year, needed two surgeries to repair the fracture.

Our board was right. We needed three quarterbacks to go, and we’re so happy we got one of the four non-quarterbacks who were our top-rated guys on the board,” McDaniels said (via King) in the war room after the team chose Wilson. “Look, we gotta rush the passer. We gotta go get [Patrick] Mahomes and [Justin] Herbert. That’s four games a year for the next few years against these great young quarterbacks. And the AFC is full of these great young quarterbacks. This is a great outcome for us.”

The Raiders have Maxx Crosby signed long term, and while Chandler Jones‘ $17MM-per-year deal runs through 2024, it is certainly possible the team moves on from the former All-Pro after this season. Jones’ guarantees only cover this season. Wilson will mix in with the veterans this season but could be Crosby’s top bookend soon.

Raiders Select DE Tyree Wilson At No. 7

One of the draft’s top edge rushers is heading to Las Vegas. The Raiders have selected Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson with the seventh overall pick.

While a foot injury ended Wilson’s 2022 season prematurely, it did not do much to hurt his draft stock. Wilson was generally graded as the second-best edge player in this class — behind only Will Anderson Jr. — and neither ESPN’s Scouts Inc. nor NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked the former Big 12 pass rusher too far behind the SEC star.

Wilson had two highly productive seasons with the Red Raiders, posting seven sacks in 2021 and ’22. He added 27.5 tackles for loss during that span, an illustration of his disruptive ability both in the running and passing game. In a year featuring a number of notable power rushers, Wilson has understandably heard his name called earlier than all others.

Las Vegas spent considerable time evaluating the top quarterbacks available, leaving many to believe it would add a signal-caller despite having signed Jimmy Garoppolo last month. Instead, the Raiders have seen three of the top passers come off the board and chosen to boost a defense which has plenty of room for improvement compared to last season.

The Raiders struggled in a number of categories in 2022, and their issues included a 30th-place finish in sacks (27). Wilson should help in that department, splitting time with Chandler Jones as a complement to Maxx Crosby early in his career. Over the long term, he could develop into a successor to the former.

Vegas has a bevy of other draft picks this year, which will allow them to fill other needs along the roster. With Wilson in place, though, their front seven should take a step forward in 2023 as the team looks to rebound from their disappointing defensive performance last season.