The Las Vegas Raiders made a lot of great selections during the draft, but some just stick out more than others. Let’s talk about Tyree Wilson vs. Michael Mayer and see how they might impact the team.
Tyree Wilson vs. Michael Mayer
Tyree Wilson is rumored to be a big success this season due to his size and working opposite Max Crosby. Experts are speculating that Wilson will see a lot of snaps, so there’s no doubt that he will be a valuable tool for the defense.
And then there’s Michael Mayer. He is touted as the best tight end in this year’s draft and set every receiving record back at Notre Dame. He is another guy with size but also a great deal of speed. Seeing how the Raiders utilize him as a weapon will be interesting.
While both rookies are in for a great season, who will come out with the better year? What about who ends up making the bigger impact on the team overall?
Position battle
Let’s start with what each position battle looks like. When it comes to Tyree Wilson, he will need to unseat Chandler Jones for the starting defensive end position. This will be a key position battle in training camp and the preseason. It should also go a long way in showing how many snaps Wilson could receive.
Things seem a little easier for Michael Mayer, however, who will only need to contend with Austin Hooper and OJ Howard at tight end. He will probably earn the starting position in training camp. He and Hooper would also make an interesting tandem at the position.
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Who will the Las Vegas Raiders turn to more?
The next thing we need to determine is who will play more. Again, NFL insiders and experts keep projecting Wilson to have a monster year opposite Max Crosby.
Furthermore, Chandler Jones hasn’t had much success over the last year at defensive end. This is why there will probably be growing calls for Wilson to get a chance. It is worth noting that the Raiders had some of the fewest sack numbers in the league last year, meaning they can only go up from here. Maybe Wilson is a part of that.
Michael Mayer might have a long road to success with the Raiders
And then there’s Mayer. He has speed, the ability to make the catch, and great size. The only problem with him getting a lot of targets this season is the stacked roster of receivers around him. Keep in mind that the Raiders have Jakobi Meyers, Davantae Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and more.
Unfortunately, he will likely need to build a rapport with Jimmy Garroppolo before getting noticed. He needs to prove himself a reliable weapon in tough spots and can’t risk letting key catches go. Otherwise, he will lose trust.
Another factor is that the Raiders are becoming a run-first offense. In fact, Joshua Jacobs earned the season rushing award last season and could play a key role again.
Final thoughts on Tyree Wilson vs. Michael Mayer in 2023
Ultimately, it just makes sense that Tyree Wilson will have a more immediate impact. He has the easier position battle and could be an asset right away. On the other hand, Michael Mayer/Baby Gronk will face an uphill battle just to get noticed.
Now that doesn’t mean Baby Gronk won’t rise to the occasion, but we are talking about the immediate impact. You would have to imagine that distinction would go to a guy who could be a game-changer for the defense, a defense that has been middle of the pack for years and struggles to close out games.
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