A slot receiver with a 100-catch season on his resume is about to hit the free agent market.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Las Vegas Raiders will release wide receiver Hunter Renfrow when the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon.
The move clears a significant chunk of cap space for the Raiders. Renfrow was entering the final year of a two-year, $32 million extension he signed back in 2022.
Now, the 28-year-old receiver is set to hit free agency in a year where the market for wide receiver help is relatively thin. The New England Patriots could be an ideal fit.
The Patriots are currently in the midst of overhauling their receiver corps. This comes after the team traded veteran DeVante Parker to the Philadelphia Eagles. JuJu Smith-Shuster has also fallen out of favor in New England.
Renfrow represents a quality slot receiver who’s still in the prime of his career. A former walk-on at Clemson, Renfrow was immediately successful in the NFL, catching 49 passes as a rookie in 2019 before recording 103 receptions during his Pro Bowl campaign in 2021.
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Renfrow’s production stopped the past two seasons. He played in 10 games in 2022, catching 36 passes. In 2023, he played in all 17 games, but caught a career-low 25 passes as he became a smaller part of the offense.
After losing Jakobi Meyers in free agency, the Patriots have lacked a reliable third-down target in their offense. Coincidentally, Renfrow’s drop in production came after Meyers signed with the Raiders.
The Patriots have already signed a player who was part of Vegas’ receiving corps in 2023. On Tuesday, the team agreed to a deal with former Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper.
