It certainly has been a tough rookie season for Tyree Wilson. Not only was he dealing with a foot injury all offseason, but the team has gone through a coaching change at the mid-point of the season. It also doesn’t help that he was forced into the lineup after the release of Chandler Jones early in the season.
But there have been some signs of growth from Wilson over the last few weeks. He recorded his first sack of his career against the Bears and got another this week against the Giants. His sack against Andrew Thomas was highly impressive, beating him around the EDGE.
Wilson still struggled overall in the game, but his sacks and recent play have been encouraging nonetheless. Here is what Pro Football Focus had to say about the rookie EDGE rusher after nine games this year:
Wilson’s highlight this week was racing past All-Pro Andrew Thomas for his second career sack. He finished Week 9 with that play as his only pressure on 19 pass-rush snaps.
His work in the run game was a mixed bag, as he made three run stops but also lost control of his gap a few times. Nevertheless, while the production is inconsistent, this was Wilson’s most active game, a small win during a mostly tough rookie year.
The Raiders are hoping that Wilson can show more over the final eight games of the season. But there is no doubt that his play has improved over the last month. His development will be one of the key storylines to watch over the next two months for the Raiders.
