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When the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Tyree Wilson and the ensuing players, the team made their vision clearly known to the football world.
Perception before the 2023 NFL Draft for the Las Vegas Raiders changed after the first round. Now, the focus became clearer after the first pick. If you really look around the landscape of the team and focus on what you saw and what you didn't see during the three-day event, things crystallized for not only media but fans and those who want to remain honest with themselves and not tow the company line. Basically, on balance, from here, it looks like the Raiders started a rebuild.
Taking The Weird Road
Tyree Wilson's selection became a matter of heated debate. Why? Granted, so-called draft experts thought highly of him to slot him second among edge rushers. With Jalen Carter sitting right there, presumably the best interior player in the draft, Vegas sought Wilson instead. Now, people will say that the team would not draft Carter due to his recent behavior of car tragedy and poor conditioning during the combine. In reality, that's fair. Yet, Wilson doesn't present those red flags. Meanwhile, he presents others, namely the foot issue. Wilson didn't work out at the combine or pro day because of a foot injury. With the type of foot injury unknown, speculation veers toward a possible Lisfranc injury as his foot contain hardware from surgery. People heal from Lisfranc, but early arthritis is a common side effect. You hope for the best for Wilson and the Raiders but prepare for the worst.
Crowded Room On The Edge
If the Raiders wanted Wilson to slide in immediately to start opposite Maxx Crosby, the pick becomes palatable to many. Yet, the elephant in the room is Chandler Jones. Jones earned fifteen million dollars per year and will do so for a couple more years. Do you pay an aging rusher tens of millions to not start? You do if you hcan eat all the dead money attached. Wilson and Jones will inevitably split reps, gaining the rookie meaningful snaps, and learning on the job.
Initial Issues With Wilson
In all honesty, initially, the pick of Tyree Wilson made no sense to me for a couple of reasons. First, for all of his measurables, size, and strength, he lacks in one area that gave me pause: flexibility. In the NFL, elite rushers use an array of moves to win versus blockers. NFL blockers will catch onto the same approach early in the game. As a result, this could put the Raiders at a distinct disadvantage on one side. Now, there are anomalies. If you possess the strength of Justin Smith to bully tackles, sure. Yet, Wilson's average-at-best bend didn't seem to bother the Raiders. In a pass rusher's world, the ability to also win with pliable arms, shoulders, and feet, As mentioned, those feet, especially the injured one bears watching. Additionally, Wilson must develop a better rush plan, other than just being explosive.
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Redundant Drafting
With the drafting of Tre Tucker, the Raiders now employ three slot receivers that really cannot consistently function on the outside. If the plan is to move Hunter Renfrow, why is he still in Las Vegas? The Raiders took depth to a bewildering level. After signing DeAndre Carter to a 1.5 million dollar contract with 1.25 million of it in dead cap money, they spent a Top 100 pick on a slot wideout? In addition, the drafting of two more defensive tackles, neither with the burst nor disruption needed in that position. Basically, the Las Vegas Raiders drafted/signed eight defensive tackles, with two (Tillery/Nichols) that present any semblance of a pass-rushing nature. Under those circumstances, six tackles that qualify as run stuffers currently inhabit the roster.
Reality Overview
For the Las Vegas Raiders, last weekend's draft was not about the next nine months, but rather the ensuing years. In stockpiling depth, 2023 feels like an evaluation season, instead of a move towards contention. Granted, the team could exceed expectations and play well. Yet, the same feeling would be the same. Instead of drafting for a win-now mentality, the Las Vegas Raiders took the pragmatic approach. Some knew this all along, while others arrived late at the party. Either way, 2023 promises to be an interesting year in the desert.
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