The Las Vegas Raiders have probably been dragged enough for their decision to take Tyree Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Already deemed one of the worst selections of the last few years, Wilson was dealt at the draft to the New Orleans Saints so both sides could start anew.
But that doesn't mean that the damage is done, nor have the Silver and Black fully recovered. They should have a star edge rusher opposite Maxx Crosby right now, who has either had his fifth-year option picked up or a long-term deal inked. Instead, they got a measly Day 3 pick swap. Yahoo!
Making matters worse is the fact that the handful of players drafted just after Wilson have all turned into stars. And offensive tackle Darnell Wright signing his big extension with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday was just another sobering reminder for the Raiders of how badly they screwed this up.
Darnell Wright is latest player taken after Raiders drafted Tyree Wilson to land big money deal
As a reminder, let's take a look at the 2023 NFL Draft order:
7. Las Vegas Raiders -- Tyree Wilson, DE
8. Atlanta Falcons -- Bijan Robinson, RB
9. Philadelphia Eagles -- Jalen Carter, DT
10. Chicago Bears -- Darnell Wright, OT
11. Tennessee Titans -- Peter Skoronski, G
12. Detroit Lions -- Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
How fun.
As fans know, Wilson failed to carve out a starting role in Las Vegas, notching just 12.0 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in 50 appearances across three seasons. The Raiders couldn't wait to get rid of him this offseason, dealing him and a seventh-round pick for a fifth-rounder in the 2026 NFL Draft.
By contrast, the players selected just after Wilson have accomplished a ton in their NFL careers already, and they have cashed in because of it. Robinson is a First-Team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl running back who signed a three-year, $75 million pact with $51 million guaranteed this week.
Before training camp, Carter, a Super Bowl champion, Second-Team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, signed a record-setting deal for the defensive tackle position. His four-year contract is worth up to $160 million, and it includes $106 million guaranteed, the most ever.
Wright, on Tuesday, put pen to paper on a four-year, $116 million deal with $93 million guaranteed after a Second-Team All-Pro campaign in 2025. Skoronski had his $19 million fifth-year option picked up, and Jahmyr Gibbs will soon reset the running back market after three straight Pro Bowl seasons.
Clearly, then-general manager Dave Ziegler made a mistake. And while three different head coaches in his first three seasons certainly didn't help Wilson, he did have the same defensive line coach and defensive coordinator throughout his time in Las Vegas. They couldn't pry great play out of him.
Further down the draft board was All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and the Raiders badly needed a cornerback at the time. And they could always use a pass-catcher, so it's a bummer they missed out on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, Zay Flowers and Quentin Johnston.
Now, hindsight is always 20-20. But Raider Nation actually knew at the time that Wilson was a project, and the fanbase much preferred Gonzalez, Wright or Carter. They didn't need a running back like Robinson or Gibbs so high in the event with Josh Jacobs coming off a rushing title in 2022.
Carter, however, was never coming to Las Vegas. In college, charges were brought against Carter for reckless driving and street racing, as he was involved in a car accident that resulted in the deaths of two people. This was a year after the Henry Ruggs III incident, so Carter was off the Raiders' board.
Why Las Vegas didn't take Wright to bookend the line with Kolton Miller, Skoronski to help build the interior, Gonzalez to fortify the secondary or any of the aforementioned receivers to bolster the pass-catching corps is a question for Ziegler, which means it is one we will never know the answer to.
But the Raiders won't be escaping this all-time draft snafu anytime soon. Wright's deal, on the heels of Robinson, Carter and Skoronski's, as well as on the cusp of Gibbs', is just another sobering reminder about how badly Las Vegas messed up.
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