The Las Vegas Raiders made sure to extend the cornerstone of their defense, Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby, with a four-year deal. The popular consensus now appears to be that wide receiver Hunter Renfrow is next, by Week 1 no less.
So, when general manager Dave Ziegler was hired, he made it clear that he wanted to win now, and so far, he’s shown it this offseason. Trading for Chandler Jones and Davante Adams was huge in retrospect; it signaled a changing of the guard. The previous regime clung to its draft capital. Ziegler, on the other hand, used it to swing a deal that instantly garnered the Raiders universal praise. Extending Crosby was the other piece of the puzzle; making sure that homegrown talent is taken care of and remains a part of the Raiders’ future. Like Crosby, Renfrow has more than proven his worth.
Can the Raiders pull off an extension for Hunter Renfrow by Week 1?
It’s been a strange offseason for wide receivers in general. The contract that Adams received following his arrival in Vegas sent shockwaves, but not nearly as big as the one that Christian Kirk received from the Jacksonville Jaguars.Â
The problem with Renfrow’s extension will be how the Raiders value their receiver. He’s not your prototypical number one wide out. Instead, he’s one of the most underrated slot receivers in the NFL. Regardless, it would be shocking if the Raiders’ brain trust didn’t lock up Renfrow’s services. He’s Derek Carr’s most reliable target and has far exceeded expectations as a fifth-round selection.
“One of the game’s premier slot receivers is a year from free agency, and the Raiders have proved aggressive so far under the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime. Las Vegas expects to have some cap space freed up by June, so perhaps it digs in some time this summer.” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on a Renfrow extension
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out, once the Raiders receive some financial flexibility after June 1st, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly a deal gets done.Â
[pickup_prop id=”21986″]