The Las Vegas Raiders have invested heavily in their defensive line the last few seasons and have continued to do so this offseason.
However, adding defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to their defensive line was an even bigger deal because of the addition of defensive lineman Tyree Wilson last season. When the Raiders selected Wilson seventh overall last season, many felt the Raiders reached for a raw player who was very unpolished, not to mention he was not healthy entering the league.
The release of veteran edge rusher Chandler Jones forced the Raiders to play Wilson sooner than they had hoped and sooner than he was probably ready to play. Wilson’s injury caused him to get off to a slow start in his career in the National Football League, as he not only needed to fully recover physically, he still needed to get into game shape, which is much different in college compared to the NFL. Still, it took most of the season for Wilson to develop and for the Raiders’ coaching staff to figure out how to use him properly.
Part of the reason Wilson had such a successful second half of last season is that the Raiders finally began moving him between the defensive end position and the defensive tackle position, depending on the game situation at hand. Wilson stands at 6 foot 6 and weighs nearly 300 pounds but still has the speed to play defensive end or beat interior offensive linemen who are usually not as fast as he is.
The Raiders signing Wilkins allows them to have a defensive line containing Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Wilkins and Wilson on the field simultaneously. This defensive line should be able to stop the run or get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Raiders could also have a defensive line that contains Wilson as the defensive end opposite of Crosby, with John Jenkins or Adam Butler next to Wilkins.
Essentially, the fact that Wilson can play on the edge or the interior of the defensive line makes him a unique asset to the Raiders’ plans on defense. “I feel like I'm a different pass rusher than most, you know," Wilson said leading up to the draft. "I'm not just committed to power. I feel like I could do power and speed and you know, be effective inside and outside.”
Many may have felt the Raiders reached when they drafted Wilson last offseason. However, the additions the Raiders have made to their defense this season, in addition to Wilson’s development, will allow Las Vegas to fully unlock Wilson’s potential by allowing him to play multiple positions along an already deep and talented defensive line.
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