Getty Former Las Vegas Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow.
The Las Vegas Raiders moved on from Hunter Renfrow this offseason after back-to-back disappointing seasons. However, it was as recent as the 2021 season when he was named to a Pro Bowl and had over 1,000 receiving yards.
It seems that teams in the NFL have a short memory as Renfrow remains a free agent and there hasn’t been much momentum for him getting a new contract. He’ll eventually sign somewhere as plenty of teams could use more wide receiver talent. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports believes that the Dallas Cowboys are the best fit for Renfrow in free agency.
“A salary-cap casualty of the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, Renfrow hasn’t been a healthy and/or steady target since his 1,000-yard breakout in 2021, but he boasts a reliable catch rate when active at full speed, making him a solid, high-floor option in the slot,” Benjamin wrote in a May 20 column. “After a quiet free agency, Dallas could still use receiver depth behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, and a savvy route-runner like Renfrow could free up Lamb to shift outside.”
The cost for Renfrow should be very low so there isn’t much risk in adding him. He had plenty of success before being put in Josh McDaniels‘ offense so he could return to form in the right system.
Can Hunter Renfrow Return to Form?
Renfrow’s fall from Pro Bowler to player who can barely see the field came as a surprise, especially to the Raiders. After his 2021 season, the team gave him a two-year contract extension worth $32 million. They clearly didn’t think that season was a fluke.
The easiest answer as to why he fell off could be McDaniels’ offense. Renfrow went from an impact player every year to a total non-factor. That said, his stats didn’t improve after the coach was fired but the team was still using the same system.
Renfrow is only 28 and hasn’t suffered any major long-term injuries. He may not be able to reach the heights of the 2021 season again but there’s reason to believe he can at least be a dependable No. 3 wide receiver. At a low price, he could be worth taking the risk.
Should Las Vegas Raiders Bring WR Back?
No team knows Renfrow better than the Raiders and there are still plenty of players on the roster who were there for his 2021 season. Cutting him was logical as the team saved $8.2 million in salary cap. However, he’d be much cheaper now if they decided to bring him back.
The problem is that the Raiders are pretty full at wide receiver right now. The team recently signed Michael Gallup, Jalen Guyton and Alex Bachman. Wide receiver really isn’t a need for the team right now so they likely wouldn’t consider Renfrow.
It’s possible that the Raiders don’t end up being super happy with their depth at wide receiver once training camp starts but it seems like Renfrow’s days in Las Vegas are over. He had a good run but he was a total non-factor the last two seasons. The team is better off looking at younger options like Tre Tucker or Tulu Griffin while a fresh start would probably be best for Renfrow.