Tyree Wilson hasn’t yet had an in-depth conversation with Chase Young, but he knows enough about Young’s NFL journey to know Young has been the best version of himself in New Orleans, and Wilson hopes to mimic that model.
Wilson was traded to the Saints on Saturday. New Orleans sent a fifth-round pick, No. 150 overall, to Las Vegas in exchange for Wilson and the Raiders’ seventh-round pick (No. 219). Wilson, the No. 7 overall pick in 2023, had 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 16 tackles for loss and 91 tackles in 50 games, with seven starts.
Young, the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year before injuries helped dampen the high expectations for three seasons. But in two seasons since joining the Saints, Young has been as disruptive as originally forecast: 15.5 sacks (a career high 10 last season), 36 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), seven passes defensed and 69 tackles in 29 games, with 12 starts.
“I feel like we can see eye to eye,” Wilson said Monday. “He knows what it’s like being a top pick in the NFL. He knows the ups, he knows the downs and he came here, he’s been doing great. That’d be another role model by my side, somebody that can boost my game and learn things from.
“I feel like every player’s journey in the NFL is different. I can’t speak for (Young); I haven’t really gotten to sit down and pick his brain or what happened in his situation and he doesn’t know what happened in mine. But what we do have in common is him being a high-round defensive end, a high pick and he came here and he’s made the best of his opportunity. That’s what I expect to do with mine.”
Wilson, who has 24 quarterback hits, said he didn’t need a change of scenery, but wanted one.
“I love Vegas and love the people and love the opportunities in Vegas, but I feel like I wasn’t off to the best start and pretty much it was a change of coaches every year,” he said.