It wasn't Tyree Wilson's fault that the Las Vegas Raiders used the No. 7 overall pick on him in the 2023 NFL Draft. And at the time, it wasn't that bad a choice. After letting Clelin Ferrell leave and knowing that Chander Jones wouldn't play forever, the Raiders needed a long-term Maxx Crosby complement.
But Wilson never lived up to that billing, and heading into the final year of his rookie deal, John Spytek and the front office cut their losses. They struck a trade with the New Orleans Saints, sending Wilson and a seventh-rounder in exchange for a fifth-rounder. That was all she wrote for him in Las Vegas.
During the Raiders' post-Day 3 press conference after the 2026 NFL Draft, executive Brandon Hunt noted that both sides needed a fresh start. And while Wilson echoed that sentiment in his first Saints media availability and was quite gracious, he also managed to sneak in a dig at the Silver and Black.
Tyree Wilson's first Saints presser was gracious but he snuck in a shot at the Las Vegas Raiders
The local reporters in New Orleans weren't exactly buttering Wilson up during his first media availability. While tiptoeing around the exact word, they peppered him with questions about being a perceived bust and were essentially wondering how he plans to get his career on the right track.
When asked whether he needed a change of scenery to do so, Wilson pushed back on that. And while he gave some credit to those who helped him in Las Vegas, he also took a shot at the Raiders for their lack of stability during his tenure.
"I wouldn't say need, but I wanted a change of scenery," Wilson explained. "I love Vegas and love the people, love the opportunities in Vegas. But I feel like I wasn't off to the best start and, pretty much, there's always a change in coaches every year. And I feel like here in New Orleans, the trend is going upward."
So, does Wilson not feel like the trend is going up for the Raiders? I don't want to read too much into it, but Wilson is definitely painting the situation in New Orleans as better than the one in Las Vegas. It's his new team, so he has to say this, in a way.
And based on how his first three years went, he certainly has a leg to stand on.
Although he got to play for the same defensive coordinator and under the same defensive line coach for his entire career with the Silver and Black, and his defensive line coach is now the defensive coordinator, let's not act like the Raiders have been a beacon of stability the last few years.
Yes, Wilson was somewhat of a letdown, given his production, compared to where he was selected. But not many players exceeded expectations in Las Vegas during this stretch, as the organization has been a complete mess for several years now. It hasn't been conducive to development or results.
That said, Wilson still made nice comments about those in the Raiders' building who poured into him during his young career. And he seems at least optimistic that he can take whatever growth he had in Las Vegas and finally sprout in New Orleans.
"Coming to the NFL, you really don't know how it's going to be," Wilson admitted. "But I had great role models around me (in Las Vegas). I had a great support staff there, great defensive line coach, great defensive coordinator that tried to bring me along the way. I made steps in the right direction, and now it's time to make that big leap into a dominant pass rusher in the NFL."
Later, Wilson even named Crosby and Rob Leonard as people who supported and helped him the most. So it's not as if he is ungrateful for his time with the Raiders. After all, they made him an early first-round pick and gave him a $25 million contract at 22 years old. That is life-changing.
But he clearly took an opportunity in his first Saints press conference to take a dig at the Silver and Black. Call it an emotional response or a petty comment after being dealt. Call it a well-deserved criticism for Las Vegas' inability to figure it out. I just call it water under the bridge, at this point.
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