Getty Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Las Vegas Raiders have their wide receiver duo of the future with the previous trade for Davante Adams and recent contract extension handed to Hunter Renfrow. Adams is the superstar wide receiver who can make plays from any spot while Renfrow is the shifty slot receiver who just knows how to get open. They are two of the best route runners in the NFL right now.
With Renfrow locked up for the next three seasons, he can keep the focus on football. Last season, he had to be the team’s No. 1 receiver with tight end Darren Waller getting injured. He was up for the challenge and finished the season with 103 catches, which was the second-most in a season in Raiders history. He came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick without a ton of hype due to his unassuming appearance.
He’s not the most athletic player in the world but Adams is figuring out why he’s successful. The five-time Pro Bowler opened up about how it’s been working with Renfrow so far.
“I’ve been around a lot of people like Hunter, but there’s never been a fourth-year [guy] with the type of football acumen that he has. His awareness and understanding why he does certain things,” Adams said after Thursday’s practice. “Because there’s people out there with a lot of talent, but they can’t sit there and break it down and tell you why they did what they did with their footwork or the next rep, why they tweaked it a little bit because of a look they had. So, his awareness, his football smarts, he’s definitely ahead of his time, so it’s actually fun.
“Sometimes I’ll be sitting there talking to him in the middle of an offensive meeting and we’ll be talking about releases, and he’ll be talking about what he thought. And I’m like, this is fun. This is fun being someone who’s a lot like me mentally in the way that he approaches the game and the way I attack it. Always trying to find those small nuances, whether it’s something the defense is doing or if it’s something I’m doing. It’s been great. I’ve been learning from him, he’s been learning from me.”
.@tae15adams on @renfrowhunter‘s football mentality and their friendly competition on the golf course
ALL the latest Raiders news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Raiders newsletter here!
Adams & Renfrow Should Make Each Other Better
Outside of a few practices in 2019 with Antonio Brown, Renfrow hasn’t had the chance to play with an established superstar wide receiver. He’s already a great player but playing with Adams should only make him better. The former Packers wide receiver has long been considered one of the best route runners in the NFL. Renfrow is starting to get looked at in the same way.
The two will only be able to help each other get better. That’s big news for the Raiders as they’ve had a difficult time figuring out their wide receiver group over the years. Not only will Renfrow and Adams form the best duo the Raiders have had since Jerry Rice and Tim Brown were on the team, but they should form one of the best duos in the NFL this season.
Derek Carr Is Happy
The Raiders haven’t always given quarterback Derek Carr the tools to succeed. One of his best friends is former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack. Despite him being the best player the Raiders have drafted in years, he was traded before getting a second contract and the team didn’t even consult Carr about the move.
This offseason, new general manager Dave Ziegler has traded for Carr’s best friend in Adams, handed him a three-year contract extension and has now extended Renfrow, who has become another close friend of Carr’s. This is easily the most the team has ever done for the quarterback in an offseason. He had a simple reaction to the Renfrow news.
READ NEXT: Johnathan Abram Addresses Raiders Turning Down 5th-Year Option