When the general manager-head coach tandem of Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels joined the Las Vegas Raiders, the pair immediately began locking up pre-existing franchise cornerstones to long-term deals. Quarterback Derek Carr, tight end Darren Waller, and defensive end Maxx Crosby each received an extension upon the new regime’s arrival. With a two-year, $32 million extension, Hunter Renfrow joined the list of Raiders set to stick around for years to come.
But is Renfrow’s time in Las Vegas coming to an end?
Former teammates Carr and Waller both signed extensions in 2022, yet still became just that in 2023 – former teammates. Carr, released in February, went on to sign a $150 million deal with the New Orleans Saints. Waller was shipped to the New York Giants in exchange for the 100th-overall pick, which Las Vegas used to draft wide receiver Tre Tucker. Two of the four Raiders who signed an extension last offseason are now gone; is Renfrow next?
Per ‘reports’, it’s only a matter of time. Not only did the Silver and Black add Jakobi Meyers to their ranks via free agency, but the team also selected aforementioned Tre Tucker in the 2023 NFL Draft. Do these moves signal the end of Renfrow in Sin City? According to these ‘reports’, the answer is yes.
There’s one problem with these quote-unquote ‘reports’, however; the Raiders’ new regime has yet to operate in anything but complete silence. The last time Ziegler was looking to trade a player, it was Waller – a move nobody could’ve seen coming.
Why would the situation with Renfrow be any different?
Reporting, or guessing? What’s really going on with Raiders’ receiver Hunter Renfrow?
Not only has it been said the Raiders are looking to move Renfrow, but it’s also been stated that Las Vegas has received little-to-no interest regarding the 27-year-old. Where is this coming from, though? As it just so happens, NFL insiders have yet to put out a tweet with Hunter Renfrow’s name in it this entire calendar year; not Ian Rapoport, not Adam Schefter, not Albert Breer, not Jordan Schultz.
Well, Field Yates did mention Renfrow in a tweet from 2023, but only to present him as one of Garoppolo’s weapons.
The Raiders’ new regime has never leaked such information before; why start now? If these are genuine reports instead of guesses, why hasn’t a single national insider acknowledged the situation?
Don’t get the wrong idea – by no means am I claiming Hunter Renfrow will remain a Raider throughout the 2023 season. Perhaps he does, perhaps he doesn’t; it’s anybody’s guess – not a report.
However, Raider Nation shouldn’t be too surprised if the former Pro Bowler stays put. By now, the entirety of Renfrow’s earnings in 2023 has already become guaranteed. Furthermore, Renfrow has an “out” in his contract at the end of his ’23 campaign, meaning Dave Ziegler can ship the wide receiver elsewhere for a fraction of his would-be dead cap during the offseason.
All things considered, it makes plenty of sense for the Raiders to keep their 2019 fifth-round draft pick this upcoming season, even if the plan is to move on at the year’s end.
Trading Renfrow isn’t out of the question either, though.
Hunter Renfrow on the move – a prediction by many that may come to pass
It’s no secret the Silver and Black have a crowded receiver room. Actually, out of each position-group on the roster, the receiving unit stands out as the group with the most overall talent.
Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Jakobi Meyers, and Tre Tucker? Phillip Dorsett, DeAndre Carter, Cam Sims, and D.J. Turner? I won’t envy McDaniels in the slightest when it’s time to decide which receivers make the final 53-man roster.
What’s more, almost all of these receivers are at their best inside. Adams is renowned for his work on the outside, but he’s just as deadly in the slot. This past season, the first-year Raider earned the third-highest grade league-wide when lined up inside (91.8). Meyers, Carter and Sims each finished with a passer rating north of 117.0 when targeted in the slot last season, and Dorsett’s 148.8 rating when targeted ranked fourth-highest among all receivers.
An easy solution would be shipping one – or more – of these players to the highest bidder. Which player not named Davante Adams or Jakobi Meyers commands the biggest haul, though? Going back to the quote-unquote ‘reports’, the Raiders have received no offers for Renfrow via trade. If that’s truly the case, it should mean the former Clemson walk-on isn’t going anywhere.
If teams come calling, however, the Philadelphia Eagles make a lot of sense. Although the team currently houses stud wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins has been disappointing in the slot. Smith was at his best in the slot in 2022, but limiting the 24-year-old inside isn’t ideal. If Philadelphia can get their hands on Renfrow, the Eagles’ offense will be even scarier than it already was.
Hunter Renfrow may play a vital role in helping Jalen Hurts and Co. return to the Super Bowl.
*Top Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
