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Antonio Pierce and the Raiders are already struggling with a depleted pass rush. Malcolm Koonce, placed on IR before the season, will miss at least the first four games due to a knee injury. The team briefly relied on a former Top 10 pick to fill in for Koonce, but Tyree Wilson also sustained a knee injury during Week 1's game.
Pierce described the injury as “not looking good,” leaving the timing of Wilson's return uncertain.
The Raiders mentioned that Wilson's status will be evaluated throughout the week. Wilson was absent from the start of Wednesday's practice after leaving Sunday’s 22-10 Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers with a knee injury.
Raiders signing K'Lavon Chaisson to fill in the gaps for the injured Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson
In response to the unclear timetable, the Raiders have signed K'Lavon Chaisson as a precautionary measure.
With Wilson’s injury leaving a gap in the defensive line, Pierce's comments imply that K'Lavon Chaisson may be called upon sooner than expected to fill the void.
Chaisson, the 20th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, appeared in 57 games with 11 starts over four seasons with the team, recording five career sacks. After the Jaguars declined his fifth-year option, the 25-year-old became a free agent and signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers in March. The Panthers released him last week.
Antonio Pierce likely didn’t anticipate having to test his defense’s depth so soon. However, with Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins on the roster, the Raiders can hopefully manage the situation.
Las Vegas Raiders depleted defensive line
The Raiders' healthy defensive linemen now include star Crosby, along with the less experienced Janarius Robinson and Charles Snowden. Crosby played every snap against the Chargers, while Robinson was on the field for 42% of the snaps and Snowden for 53%.
Given that NFL coaches usually keep even minor injury updates tightly under wraps, Antonio Pierce’s candid acknowledgment that Tyree Wilson is unlikely to play on Sunday does not inspire much optimism.
Tyree Wilson, who was expected to take on a significantly larger role after Malcolm Koonce's injury, had been aiming for a huge leap this season. His potential absence could impact the defense's performance significantly.
Wilson’s spot in the lineup isn’t secure even when he recovers. If K’Lavon Chaisson proves effective, it wouldn’t be surprising if Antonio Pierce opts to stick with the more productive player. Chaisson may not be a significant downgrade from Wilson, making the competition for the role even more intense.
Tough game ahead against the Baltimore Ravens
The Tyree Wilson era likely has more chapters to come, but if his knee injury sidelines him for an extended period, it could mark a premature end to his impact this season.
Along with Wilson, rookie cornerback Decamerion Richardson also missed practice. Richardson, who sat out the game against the Chargers due to a hamstring injury, remains sidelined.
On the other hand, Pierce did not provide any updates on whether second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson, who missed the Chargers game due to illness, will be available for the game against the Baltimore Ravens. Powers-Johnson, who has struggled with health issues since the offseason, is competing with free-agent addition Cody Whitehair for the left guard position. The team remains hopeful he can return to form soon.
As if facing a strong Ravens team wasn’t challenging enough, the Raiders will struggle to pressure Lamar Jackson if Maxx Crosby doesn’t deliver an exceptional performance.
The matchup will begin when the Raiders face the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, September 15, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
