After not seeing a Raiders extension translate to steady production, Hunter Renfrow did not see a 2024 free agency stay lead to much interest. The former 1,000-yard receiver spent last season out of football, but comeback roads may be opening.
Two visits have materialized for the veteran slot player. Renfrow met with the Panthers this week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, who report the five-year Raider also has a meeting booked with his former team. Renfrow, who was not linked to any teams following his 2024 Las Vegas exit, is visiting the Raiders today.
Two Raider regimes effectively gave up on the Clemson alum. Renfrow proved a poor fit in Josh McDaniels‘ offense, seeing his role decrease despite the McDaniels-Dave Ziegler duo extending him — on a two-year, $32MM deal — months after arrival. One-and-done Raiders GM Tom Telesco then released him. A year later, the Pete Carroll-John Spytek-Tom Brady operation will still take a look at a fit.
Months after trading Davante Adams to the Jets, the Raiders have a glaring wide receiver need. McDaniels-era pickup Jakobi Meyers, who quietly eclipsed 1,000 yards in 2024, is going into a contract year. The team did see slot Tre Tucker, a McDaniels-Ziegler draftee who took over for Renfrow, show some promise via a 539-yard 2024. But more help will be needed to complement Brock Bowers next season. Although natural Tyler Lockett ties exist, the Raiders have not been closely connected to the Seahawks cap casualty since he became available.
Renfrow, 29, helped the Raiders after their 2019 Antonio Brown trade and 2020 Henry Ruggs draft choice proved spectacular missteps. The 2019 fifth-round pick delivered back-to-back 600-yard seasons before posting a 1,038-yard showing in 2021, helping Las Vegas to a surprising playoff run despite Jon Gruden‘s midseason exit. That season earned Renfrow an extension, but he did not build on it under McDaniels, who phased him out of the offense. Renfrow, whom the Raiders attempted to trade for an extended period before last year’s release, combined for just 585 yards between the 2022 and ’23 seasons.
The Panthers changed up their receiver room considerably last year, acquiring and then trading Diontae Johnson and then dealing 2023 second-round pick Jonathan Mingo to the Cowboys. Adam Thielen is set to return for his age-35 season, and Xavier Legette totaled 497 rookie-year yards. Carolina has not made a notable receiver addition this offseason. Renfrow is a South Carolina native, and he will gain some intel about a return to the league following his two-meeting week.
I was hoping the Buccaneers were going to kick the tires last season with Hunter…but no such luck
However.. I am happy that he might have a shot at coming back!!!
Easily the most shocking and sudden fall off of any player in their prime in recent memory.
Raiders just stopped playing him, kinda wild. Myers was signed to effectively take his role in the slot.
He’s definitely talented – undersized, but I would think he could still be a productive slot wr
Yeah it sure seems like the additions of Davante and Jakobi and losing competent QB play once Carr was gone definitely combined to ruin his stock.
He’s only 29 and a proven wideout with solid route running skills, great hands, and toughness. He should get an opportunity somewhere.
Raiders are a terrible organization under Mark Davis.
Weird no one gave him a shot last year, didn’t he have some concussion issues? Maybe that played a role – still he’s unsigned two consecutive off-seasons. Strange
Still surprised raiders haven’t made a call to Tyler Lockett presumably.
Nah. They have tre Tucker. Much younger and very similar skill set to Lockett. Wouldn’t make sense IMO as Lockett would take away from tuckers growth and playing time.
He still got juice. I’d like to see him as a vet role somewhere. Maybe Cowboys?
I thought he would have done well in KC with his improv route running and Mahomes abilities to extend plays and make off platform throws
The improv is a huge draw there. Renfrow isn’t young, but he’s younger than Kelce, who currently fills that role. They’re way different physically, but that’s what they both do. K.C. needs a more physically talented player at WR right now, but that’s precisely because Kelce does that “trust me, I’ll find the hole in the defense” thing that bails Mahomes out when he needs a catch. Renfrow can definitely do that, and Mahomes is aware enough as a QB to take advantage. Not every QB is, which is a major reason that Renfrow didn’t get playing time later (plus McDaniels just not seeming to like him).
It’s actually odd to me that McDaniels couldn’t find a role for Renfrow like that-he’s done it in the past with other players, like Edelman, Amendola, and Woodhead. Granted, Renfrow was many times less structured than those guys were as route runners, but it’s still something that you’d figure he could use. You have to wonder how much of that was just simply due to QB play in not being fully aware of the field, but even with that mind, you’d still figure that he could be useful for a coordinator or schemer.
Renfrow doesn’t have the physical tools to beat players like most receivers, so if he’s not finding holes (or, more accurately, if his QB can’t find him) he’s not going to get many catches. Perhaps McDaniels shouldn’t have assumed that Carr would be so replaceable. Obviously he wasn’t a good enough schemer to make up for the lack of awareness that followed at the passing position.
I think Hunter was never the same after that hit he took from Simmons in that OT game against AZ. Never the same.
Also probably true.
When you’re little and slow, you don’t have room to lose a step to age and injury.
I’m not a Patriots fan, but with Vrabel as head coach, I could see them signing him on the cheap and trying to bring him in as the next Welker, Edelman, or Amendola.
That’s Pop Douglas
I’d like the Raiders to bring him back for a year. They have little in the WR room right now.