The Chicago Bears are being encouraged to look into a trade for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.
In his October 4 column, Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report listed Renfrow as an ideal target for Chicago. With Chase Claypool very likely on his way out, the Bears’ wide receivers room could have a vacancy soon, and adding a player like Renfrow would give quarterback Justin Fields a reliable new presence on offense.
“Chicago is viewed as a seller more than a buyer after Week 4, and that starts with the expected departure of Chase Claypool,” Tansey wrote on October 4, adding:
“The Bears have countless other problems, but if they could at least another target for Fields, they could be competitive in many more games in 2023. … Chicago may be unwilling to make any deal to improve its roster because of the potential to pick first in the 2024 NFL draft, but if it wants to make a push to get better, it could look at Renfrow and other slot receivers to improve the unit around Fields.”
Hunter Renfrow May Be on His Way Out of Las Vegas Soon
“What if you got Hunter Renfrow a little more involved this week?”
Josh McDaniels:
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Renfrow had career lows in catches, (36), yards (330) and touchdowns (2) last season, playing in 10 games (one start). He has yet to mesh well in head coach Josh McDaniels’ offense since the coach took over in 2022.
So far, through four games this season, Renfrow has five catches on seven targets for 52 yards. Considering he was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, catching 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine scores,a change of scenery might due him good. It’s possible a fifth- or sixth-round pick could pry him away from a Raiders offense that isn’t using him.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus noted via the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) that “Renfrow is certainly available,” and the Raiders wideout has been the subject of trade rumors for months. The 0-4 Bears my not be in the market to add another receiver, but Claypool is clearly on the way out and Renfrow would be a huge improvement.
Hunter Renfrow Costs More, But Would Be Huge Improvement Over Chase Claypool
The 27-year-old wideout has a cap hit of just over $13 million this season, and the Bears would take on $19 million over the next two seasons if adding him now. Chicago currently has just under $9 million in available cap space, according to Spotrac, so it’s a feasible move that would require a bit of fiscal maneuvering.
A team acquiring Hunter Renfrow in a trade before Friday would take on a two-year, $23.4M contract.
After Friday: two years, $19.1M.
Claypool is due $3 million in 2023, the final year of his rookie deal. Renfrow has a heftier contract, but he is a far more reliable receiver, and he has never been benched for performance issues the way Claypool has been.
Renfrow is a disciplined and skilled route-runner, and the current Raiders WR has a far better career catch percentage than the currently-benched Bears wideout. Claypool has caught 55.7% of the passes thrown his way over his four seasons in the league, while Renfrow has hauled in 74.8% of his career targets over five seasons. In fact, Renfrow’s lowest catch percentage came during his rookie season in 2019, when he caught 69% of the passes thrown his way.
It’s unlikely Bears general manager Ryan Poles will make any big additions, but the team will need to replace Claypool sooner or later. Adding a player as sure-handed as Renfrow would give Chicago another reliable target to go along with DJ Moore in the passing game.
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Bears Pushed to Pursue ‘Available’ Pro Bowl WR to Replace Claypool