Photo by Tony Gonzales
C.J. Wilson has played at Lambeau Field many times, but his upcoming trip to Green Bay on Friday will be very different than games past, as he will be coming out of the visitors' locker room for the first time.
Wilson was selected by the Packers in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft and spent the first four seasons of his career in Green Bay. During his time as a Packer, the defensive lineman found success notching a career high 2.5 sacks in 2012 and was part of the team that won Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Like WR James Jones and FS Charles Woodson, that's all in the past for Wilson, as he's now proud to wear the Silver and Black and determined to bring that success to Oakland.
"Personally, this year I came here for the opportunity to make plays and get on the field as much as possible," said Wilson. "I'm just looking to help this team win a championship. That's what it's all about. I don't care how good I play or if somebody else plays, as long as we win a championship it's all worth it. It's all about winning championships."
While Wilson is now all in with the Raiders, he did admit that running into Lambeau wearing a different uniform will be an interesting feeling.
"I'll just be thinking to myself, 'Wow,'" he said when asked about his first moments back in Green Bay. "For a while I didn't think I'd be wearing anything else, but now it's all about Raider Nation and getting after Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers."
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| Photo by Tony Gonzales | |
The third preseason game is often considered the most important on the preseason slate, and Wilson is hopeful that the revamped defensive line in Oakland will continue to make strides against a quality team in the Packers.
"Going out there against Green Bay, they're a great measuring stick. They went to the playoffs last year and the last four years, so it's a great measuring stick to see how far we are as a team and as a defense," he said. "It's going to be a great time to work at what we've been working on all camp from day one and to go out there and take what we put on the practice field and put it on the field and go hard and see how we measure up."
While Wilson recalls his time in Green Bay fondly, he has already embraced his new home in the Bay Area and embraced the transition to life as a Raider.
"It's wonderful," said Wilson when talking about life with his new team. "It's great. I just told the training room on Friday that I love it here. They do a great job here of making you feel at home. We're a team. The coaches do a great job of getting you prepared every day, on and off the field. I love it here."
Wilson has high hopes for himself and the Raiders defense in 2014, and a good showing against his former team would be a big step in the direction.
"I loved the time I was there [in Green Bay]," he said. "But right now it's all about Raider Nation."
