Tyree Wilson did not have a big role on defense in Week 11 with the Raiders opting to use more of Malcolm Koonce to rush the passer. However, that doesn’t mean that Wilson was impactful in his limited snaps (19) on Sunday.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they wrote about every first-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft and their performance in Week 11. Wilson had an average grade from the site, but did impress against the run:
Wilson played sparingly but posted his second-best grade of the season against Miami. His best work came in the run game, where he made two stops en route to a 69.4 grade. He still isn’t quickly shedding blocks, but he has been more active in recent weeks in the run game and has made at least one run stop in three of the past four games.
The Raiders are still waiting on Wilson to become more of a pass rusher, but his improvements in the run game have been much needed. With his size and length, he should be an excellent run defender in time. And the fact that he is starting to make plays there already is a good sign for his long-term outlook.
With six games left, the Raiders are hoping that Wilson can continue to develop as both a run defender and pass rusher. If he can, that will be great news for this franchise going forward as they could be facing another rebuild in the 2024 offseason.
