For a deal in which the Las Vegas Raiders shipped off a recent first-round pick for a mere fifth-rounder, the Tyree Wilson deal with the New Orleans Saints didn't make a lot of headlines during the 2026 NFL Draft weekend.
The writing was surely on the wall for Wilson after the Raiders took Auburn edge rusher Keyron Crawford in the third round, even if the selection itself didn't make as much sense at the time. But a fresh start was needed for both sides, as one Las Vegas exec said, so a low-stakes trade was made.
But for Wilson, it doesn't even seem like New Orleans will be that fresh a start for him. After the Raiders danced around the topic of picking up his fifth-year option, it took the Saints exactly one day, or maybe just a few hours, to decide that he was going to be a free agent next offseason.
Saints aren't picking up the Tyree Wilson fifth-year option Las Vegas Raiders danced around
Look, Las Vegas was never going to pick up Wilson's fifth-year option, especially not at a price of nearly $14.5 million next year. But they had been putting the decision off, at least officially. Well, Saints GM Mickey Loomis wasted no time telling reporters that they were declining that option.
“Yeah, um. I think he’s gonna be a free agent after this year, in all likelihood," Loomis said. "I think he’s gonna be a free agent next year, so it’s a one-year trial, and we’ll see how it goes.”
Now, this was an easy decision for Loomis to make. And with the deadline rapidly approaching on May 1, there was no reason for him to kick the can down the road at all. But it's funny that he was able to say this just hours after acquiring Wilson, and mum was the word on it in Las Vegas all offseason.
It's not as if the Raiders were trying to keep some big secret. Wilson was a rotational pass-rusher, at best, during his three years in Las Vegas, amassing just 12.0 total sacks in three seasons. He'd need that production every year to warrant a contract in the range that the fifth-year option would pay.
Perhaps the Silver and Black put off the decision for so long because they knew that a Wilson trade was imminent. Loomis did mention that they had been in talks about trading for Wilson for some time, so maybe this was a pre-ordained lack of decision by the Raiders. They let the new team decide.
Well, it didn't take very long for New Orleans to make the decision that everyone knew was coming. And it doesn't sound like Loomis and the Saints are even expecting much from Wilson. Strong play could change that, but in a few months, Wilson may need to find another NFL home. Some fresh start.
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