The New Orleans Saints were dead-set on acquiring a young edge rusher with some upside if the Big Board didn't fall their way in the 2026 NFL Draft. When the New York Giants refused to part ways with 2023 No. 5 pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Saints moved on to the player picked two spots after him in Tyree Wilson.
The Saints traded away pick No. 150 in the Draft in exchange for a seventh-round pick at No. 219 overall and the rights to Wilson. After being unable to trade Maxx Crosby and using a third-round pick on Keyron Crawford, the Raiders didn't have any room left on their depth chart for Wilson.
New Orleans doesn't seem to be afraid of the challenge that comes with getting Wilson to work, even though the same Raiders defensive staff that helped keep Crosby performing at an elite level in his prime were unable to get much out of the former Texas Tech star.
Saints acquire former No. 7 pick Tyree Wilson from Raiders
Wilson has a 6-5, 265-pound frame and incredibly long arms, giving a defensive line coach everything they could want from a physical point of view. In terms of putting rubber to teh road and using those gifts, he continues to fall short.
Wilson has managed just 12 sacks in three seasons, never tallying fewer than 3.5 or more than 4.5 in a season. In the truest sense of the word, Wilson has flatlined, and the Raiders decided to put the responsibility of developing him on New Orleans.
Wilson is a bit of an odd fit in this scheme, as he may not be an ideal stand-up rusher due to his lack of amazing speed. He's also not big enough to kick inside and use his length on the defensive line. Still, the raw talent is there, and Brandon Staley seems to believe he is the one who can get him on the right track.
Some players just need a change of scenery to get on track, and while Wilson never put it together as a top pick for Vegas, the Saints may get some better production out of him.
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