Raiders Tyree Wilson Should See More Time Playing Tackle

When the Las Vegas Raiders used a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft to select defensive end, Tyree Wilson, they did so knowing that he would be a work in progress, as most rookies are when they come into the league.

On top of the standard rookie learning curve, though, Wilson missed most of the preseason rehabbing a foot injury he sustained while still at Texas Tech.

Fast forward to the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, and Wilson showed exactly why the Raiders and other draft experts were so high on his potential.

However, just as there were flashes of Wilson's potential, there were also things that needed to be worked on. Some of those same issues showed up last Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

The most noticeable issues for Wilson were his lack of speed off the ball and his conditioning. With Wilson missing most of the preseason and the game being in Denver, anyone who has experienced the thin air in the Mile High City would give Wilson a pass.

However, his lack of speed when the ball was snapped was a little more worrisome.

Fortunately for the Raiders, none of those issues are unfixable, especially in a player so new to the league. Conditioning can be fixed relatively quickly and easily. In the long term, it might not be as easy to fix Wilson's tentativeness once the play begins.

The Raiders will continue to give Wilson snaps at defensive end, as they should. That seems to be his most natural position.

However, Coach Josh McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler have shown they prioritize players who can play multiple positions along the offensive and defensive lines.

Thus, maybe the Raiders should consider playing Wilson at tackle and doing so as soon as possible. If there was any time for the Raiders to try something different with Wilson, it's a nothing-to-lose road game early in the season.

Although every defensive lineman needs to get out of his stance quickly, arguably, defensive tackles are allowed to be a little slower out of their stance than defensive ends.

Giving Wilson more time at defensive tackle would be a quick remedy that should play right into Wilson and the Raiders' hands and solve multiple issues simultaneously. It helps Wilson's conditioning, as he'll get more plays on the field and likely will not have to run as much or as far as a defensive end, making his current set of skills more effective.

It will also help in other ways.

Wilson's speed out of his stance is less of an issue, and he'd more than likely be more athletic than most of the interior offensive linemen the Raiders will play this season. Also, as a defensive tackle, Wilson is no longer responsible for setting the edge of the defense, which is a huge responsibility for which his current conditioning and field awareness may not be suited.

In the immediate, playing Wilson more at tackle could play more to his current abilities than him playing defensive end.

A rookie missing most of training camp and needing extra time to adjust to the rigors of the NFL isn't uncommon, but Wilson's size and athleticism are.

The Raiders' coaching staff has shown it can coach up its young players. All eyes will be on the defensive line this season and beyond to see if they can do the same with Wilson.

A defensive line with Maxx Crosby, Wilson, and Malcolm Koonce on it, as well as either Jerry Tillery or Bilal Nichols on the field simultaneously, would all but surely disrupt any offense's game plan.

The Silver and Black remain on the road this week as they travel to play the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 1:05 p.m. EDT/10:05 a.m. PDT.

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