Tyree Wilson is finally back on the practice field and the Raiders couldn’t be more excited to see the No. 7 pick in action. While he won’t suit up in the preseason, he should be 100 percent healthy for Week 1 when the Raiders take on the Denver Broncos.
Wilson won’t open the year as a starter, but he will have a big role on the defense as the No. 3 pass rusher for Las Vegas. The Raiders are going to rotate him in a ton and will find creative ways to get him on the field with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
But just how productive will Wilson be during his rookie season? On most sportsbooks, his sack total is set at 6.0 for the 2023 season. According to Mike Clay of ESPN, the smart bet is to go UNDER that total. Here is his reasoning behind that:
Wilson was the seventh overall pick in April’s draft, but he could miss regular season action (and/or will be very limited) as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. Once he is ready to go, he’ll begin his career behind 33-year-old Chandler Jones and every-down Maxx Crosby.
Six sacks is certainly within reach (over the last five seasons, 10 edge rushers selected in the first round recorded at least 6.0 sacks), but the missed offseason playing time and the competition for snaps suggests we should roll with the “under” here.
It’s pretty tough for young pass rushers to rack up that many sacks, especially with two Pro Bowlers on the roster ahead of him. But the Raiders don’t need him to record a bunch of sacks. They need him to be a solid run defender and provide pressure up front. Pressure doesn’t always lead to sacks, but it does often lead to throwaways, check-downs, and inaccurate passes.
If Wilson can find ways to disrupt the passing game as a rookie, he’ll have a major impact for the Raiders. But don’t expect him to post gaudy sack totals as a rookie.
