The Las Vegas Raiders have the chance to produce one of the best defenses they have had in many seasons and one of the best defenses in the National Football League.
The Raiders' defense returns nearly every starter from last season, and the unit is entering its third season under Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham. After finishing last season as one of the best-scoring defenses in the league, the Raiders' defense is expected to reach new heights this upcoming season.
The Raiders have invested heavily in the defensive side of the ball over the last few seasons. General Manager Tom Telesco continued that trend by signing defensive lineman Christian Wilkins early in the offseason, one of the league’s most significant moves in free agency. While most of the offseason talk has rightfully centered around what Wilkins' addition does for the Raiders, the development of defensive lineman Tyree Wilson deserves equally as much attention, if not more.
The Raiders selected Wilson with the seventh overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, fully aware that they would need to be patient with the talented defensive lineman as he was coming off of an injury. The Raiders front office and coaching staff devised a plan to bring Wilson along slowly.
Still, the Raiders' release of Chandler Jones and Malcolm Koonce's not yet breaking out meant the Raiders had to lean on Wilson sooner than initially planned. This sped up the team’s development plan for Wilson, forcing him to develop quicker than he was physically ready to. Wilson’s growth seemed slow, as the talented defensive lineman had to play his way into game shape while learning the game's nuances.
The Raiders spent most of last season trying to maximize Wilson’s talents, eventually moving Wilson to the interior of the defensive line, which suits his strengths and weaknesses better than the defensive end position. Wilson’s move inside also allowed Koonce to emerge, making the Raiders’ defense even better.
The decision to move Wilson inside quietly helped him become more productive. This allowed Wilson to impact the game in ways that do not always appear on the stat sheet. While it must be noted that the Raiders' defense got considerably better after Wilson was moved inside, it must also be noted that Wilson was drafted seventh overall to make more of an impact than he did in a season the Raiders organization knew would be a developmental year for him.
However, while impacting the game in ways not always seen on the stat sheet is admirable, the Raiders drafted Wilson with a valuable draft pick for a reason: to make his presence felt on the field and on the stat sheet. This season, Wilson must take the next step.
