The Las Vegas Raiders have some pieces in place to make a run postseason run if players play up to their potential and everyone is able to come together. Two of the biggest pieces, and new faces, to that puzzle are quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and pass rusher Tyree Wilson, the team’s first-round pick.
Garoppolo has proven that he is capable of taking a team deep in the playoffs with the right pieces around him. Wilson on the other hand is unproven, but if he can help bolster the pass rush, the Raiders’ defense could be better than expected.
But with training camp fast approaching, both Garoppolo and Wilson are still dealing with foot injuries, and according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, those are among the biggest concerns for the team right now:
The expectation is that both quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and first-round pick Tyree Wilson will be back from foot injuries for the start of training camp. Then again, the Raiders had no idea that Garoppolo needed foot surgery when he showed up to sign his new contract in March — and the Raiders did rework his deal to include an out if he is not healthy, so they are not 100 percent certain everything will work out. Wilson, meanwhile, is being counted on to learn from Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones and give the Raiders the deepest pass rush in the AFC and make life easier for a patchwork defense. Adding a couple of experienced feet in veteran free-agent cornerback Marcus Peters would also be nice.
The Raiders are obviously counting on Garoppolo being ready, but as Tafur pointed out, the fact that they gave themselves an out in his contract if he isn’t healthy would seem to show that they aren’t 100% certain. The franchise moved on from Derek Carr, and Garoppolo is the direction they went. The options behind him are not promising either so if the foot remains an issue the Raiders could be in serious trouble.
The immediate expectations for Wilson aren’t the same as the team’s presumptive starting quarterback, but his being healthy and making an immediate impact would be a huge boost. The Raiders’ defense is a huge question mark, and if there is one area where it could be dominant, it is the pass rush. Wilson learning from Crosby and Jones and being a force would help everyone else out and maybe allow the Raiders to surprise some teams this season.
