Getty The Baltimore Ravens can get a 100-plus catch wide receiver in a bargain trade.
Adding proven playmakers at wide receiver is key to the Baltimore Ravens becoming a legitimate Super Bowl contender next season. The issue can be solved by trading for 100-plus catch wideout Hunter Renfrow for the bargain cost of just a “middle-round pick” in the 2023 NFL draft.
It’s a scenario outlined by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox. He believes “adding a reliable receiver like Hunter Renfrow of the Las Vegas Raiders could help (Lamar) Jackson and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.”
Fortunately for the Ravens, “there has been some buzz” Renfrow could be put on the trading block this offseason. If he is available, acquiring the Pro-Bowler would surely boost the Ravens’ chances of convincing quarterback Lamar Jackson to remain in Baltimore for at least a little while longer.
Sure-Handed Wide Receiver What Ravens Need
Renfrow is exactly what Jackson and the Ravens need. Namely, a sure-handed target who can win in at multiple levels of the field.
Those are the qualities Renfrow showcased during a banner season in 2021, when the 27-year-old snagged 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. He tallied 452 of those yards after the catch, while dropping just two passes from 128 targets, per Pro Football Reference.
In the process, Renfrow proved himself a demon in the red zone, according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press:
Hunter Renfrow has 9 TD catches in red zone this season for #Raiders. Only players with more:
Cooper Kupp 13
Davante Adams 10
Stefon Diggs 10
Renfrow’s scoring knack, along with every other facet of his game, took a downturn while he dealt with a concussion, as well as a Grade 2 Abdomen muscle strain that eventually landed him on injured reserve.
When he did make it onto the field, Renfrow was still prolific working underneath routes, like this one against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, highlighted by Ryan Holmes of Put On Raiders:
Nice route from Hunter Renfrow to create separation from slot. Aligned at 3, stutters feet to sell the juke route, takes step towards middle then plants foot and runs return route back to flat. Area is cleared out, safety works to middle to act as robber.
#RaiderNation
Winning from the slot makes Renfrow an ideal candidate to help Jackson take his game to the next level, provided the Ravens can retain their franchise quarterback.
Lamar Jackson Needs Help Around Him
Keeping Jackson means either agreeing on a new long-term contract or using the franchise tag. The latter is the route Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes the Ravens will ultimately take.
Specifically, Florio anticipates the Ravens opting for the non-exclusive tag, leaving Jackson free to negotiate with other teams. If the Ravens opt against matching any offer Jackson receives, they would get two first-round picks in return for letting their QB1 leave.
Florio isn’t sure Jackson will get the fully guaranteed deal he wants, neither from the Ravens nor elsewhere. It means there’s still a good chance Jackson is plying his trade at M&T Bank Stadium next season.
If so, Jackson needs help to improve as a passer. Renfrow would help because he wins in Jackson’s favorite area of the field, the middle.
Jackson’s preference for targeting receivers between the numbers is unlikely to change, even after Todd Monken replaced Greg Roman as offensive coordinator. Not when All-Pro Mark Andrews and fellow tight end Isaiah Likely are the signal-caller’s best targets.
It’s a different story at wide receiver, where Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson are free agents. Meanwhile, the Ravens are still waiting on youngsters Devin Duvernay, James Proche and Rashod Bateman to stay healthy and make the grade.
Those concerns make going after Renfrow a smart move, especially when he’s a candidate for trade. Knox cited a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday, January 24, describing why Raiders’ head coach Josh McDaniels may move on from Renfrow: “McDaniels is big on ‘culture fits’ and will want his own guys. Teams will be keeping an eye on tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow in that process.”
The Ravens have five picks in this year’s draft, including in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. A third or fourth is worth giving up for a proven commodity like Renfrow.