Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow.
It’s been rough two years for Hunter Renfrow and his time with the Las Vegas Raiders could be coming to an end soon. According to a November 1 report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Renfrow was nearly traded to the New Orleans Saints before the 2023 NFL trade deadline but the deal fell through.
Considering the Raiders have already attempted to trade the former Pro Bowl wide receiver, there’s a chance they will try to trade him again in the offseason. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that sends Renfrow to the Saints for a 2024 sixth-round pick.
“The Raiders would still be on the hook for $5.5 million if they trade Renfrow next season, leaving the $8.2 million left on his $13.7 million cap hit for the team that trades for him,” Ballentine wrote in a December 13 column. “However, it wouldn’t be hard for the Saints to add some void years to accommodate the move.
“It would give them another receiver with established chemistry with Derek Carr while giving the Raiders a draft pick for an overpriced player that they haven’t really included in their game plans this year.”
The Raiders gave Renfrow a $32 million contract extension last year but he hasn’t been playing well. He has just 25 catches for 255 yards this season and a change of scenery could be best for both sides.
Hunter Renfrow Had Best Years With Derek Carr
It hasn’t been the best first year in New Orleans for Derek Carr. Despite having lots of talent on offense, the Saints are averaging just 21.9 points a game, which is 15th in the NFL. Perhaps a way that they can get this offense to improve next season is by adding a player Carr has had a lot of success with.
Hunter Renfrow had his best seasons under Carr, including his 2021 Pro Bowl season where he had 103 catches for 1,038 yards. Carr has struggled to play consistent football with the Saints and has had some issues with teammates. Adding a former teammate he had success with in the past could be good for on-field and lockerroom purposes. A sixth-round pick is not a steep price to pay for a former Pro Bowl wide receiver.
Josh Jacobs missed Hunter Renfrow targets as much as we did
Champ Kelly Has Chance to Keep GM Job
Interim general manager Champ Kelly was part of the front office that extended Hunter Renfrow and then tried to trade him. If he is able to keep the full-time job after the season, it’s likely that Renfrow will be traded.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, it’s looking like Kelly’s chances of keeping the job are high.
“This week’s NFL owners meetings in Dallas feature the front office accelerator program of more than 40 minority executives from around the league,” Fowler wrote in a December 13 column. “Ran Carthon became the first GM from the program when the Titans hired him in January 2023, and the league is hoping for more future general managers from the group. It already has one, in a way, with Champ Kelly as the Raiders’ interim GM. And there’s a belief in some league circles that Kelly’s chances to retain the job permanently are legitimate. He was a finalist for the same job two years ago and has served as assistant GM there since 2022.”