With training camp underway there have already been some players turning heads for the Las Vegas Raiders. One of the big questions for this team is how will the defense improve from a year ago and one important piece in the defense turning around is first-round pick Tyree Wilson.
The defensive end has all the physical tools to be an absolute force on the line, and the opportunity to learn from Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones will only make him that much better. But Wilson has yet to take the field due to offseason foot surgery stemming from an injury near the end of his last collegiate season.
Hopefully, that will be changing soon as, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, there is a belief that Wilson will be able to hit the field within the next couple of weeks:
I’d expect to see first-round pick Tyree Wilson return to the practice field at some point over the next two weeks. Wilson is recovering from offseason foot surgery after suffering a pretty serious injury at the end of his time at Texas Tech. You can sense the excitement here over what Wilson will be able to bring to the table when he gets healthy.
Obviously, the goal for the Raiders remains to have Wilson 100 percent and ready to go once the regular season begins. As such they are going to be very cautious in working him back to full strength so that there are no setbacks. But the anticipation is certainly building as the Raiders’ defense looks to bounce back after an awful year.
The additions of Marcus Peters and Marcus Epps should help stabilize the secondary along with the continued growth of safety Tre’von Moehrig. Adding Robert Spillane at linebacker should also help things, but the Raiders badly need some more help at rushing the passer.
Crosby is one of the best in the NFL at getting to the quarterback, but the Raiders need someone to step up on the other side. Wilson with his size and athleticism could cause some serious issues for the opposition and the trio of those two along with Jones gives the Raiders a potentially impressive set of pass rushers.
But the important thing is the health of Wilson, and the Raiders can’t afford to take any chances in rushing him back before he is ready as he is one of the team’s long-term players who can help the team greatly.
