Getty Robert Kraft will want to see changes in the receiver room for 2024.
As the New England Patriots overhaul the offense, a salary cap causality could come along.
That’s 1-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, whom the Las Vegas Raiders could cut over salary cap constraints. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested that the Patriots could be a “team to watch” in pursuit of Renfrow because “they had arguably the league’s weakest receiving corps” this season.
“With a new quarterback likely incoming this offseason, new head coach Jerod Mayo should be eager to upgrade the receiver position,” Knox wrote.
Renfrow, who could save the Raiders up to $11.8 million in salary cap space after June 1, could fit in with the Patriots’ salary cap situation of $67.48 million. He currently has a 2-year, $32.32 million deal with the Raiders.
“He’ll likely have to sign a short-term, prove-it deal to find another opportunity, but he can help flesh out another team’s receiving corps,” Knox wrote.
The Las Vegas Raiders can save around $25M in cap space releasing Hunter Renfrow and Jimmy G in the offseason.
Renfrow, 28, has underperformed in recent years amid 25 catches for 255 yards in 2023 and 36 receptions for 300 yards and two touchdowns in 2022. He previously posted 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021.
His first two seasons before that looked promising as well. Renfrow caught 56 passes for 656 yards and two touchdowns in 2020 and 49 grabs for 605 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2019.
Las Vegas has shown interest in moving on from Renfrow, as Knox noted. The Raiders tried to trade Renfrow to the New Orleans Saints in 2023 according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Hunter Renfrow Could Join a Crowded Patriots Receiver Room
New England can only shed so much for space in the wide receiver room this offseason via free agency. The Patriots could lose Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor in free agency, but Bourne has already indicated that he wants to return.
“I want to come back [to New England]. That is a goal of mine. I love being a Patriot — it’s a great environment for a person like me,” Bourne told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Being a Patriot helped me grow into the player I am today. I’m thankful for the organization, but you never know. I’ve been in free agency before and I didn’t know what would happen. And I don’t know now.”
Bourne didn’t produce great numbers amid 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. He has a 3-year, $15 million deal with the Patriots, and he could command up to $4.8 million annually or a 3-year, $14.65 million deal per Spotrac.
As for Reagor, he has a 1-year, $1 million deal with the Patriots for a season where he caught seven passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots also have Tre Nixon on an expiring contract as an exclusive rights free agent.
Besides those three, the Patriots have six wideouts under contract for 2024: JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Park, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, and T.J. Luther, and Kayshon Boutte. The Patriots may have to part with Boutte due to illegal gambling charges.
Kendrick Bourne Feels Confident About ACL Recovery
Bourne sustained an ACL tear Week 2 of the 2023 season, and he is well on the way to recovery.
“Some days I don’t want to do it. Some days it’s hard,” Bourne told Reiss. But every day it counts. I know if I attack it head-on, I can have a successful recovery. I’m doing great.”