Tag: Hunter Renfrow

Hunter Renfrow linked to this NFL team in free agency

Hunter Renfrow’s name has been linked to this NFL team in recent days.

Former Clemson standout Hunter Renfrow remains unsigned after NFL training camps opened last month, but the free agent receiver has seen his name connected to one team in particular this past week.

Talk in some online circles has centered on the New York Jets adding another free agent target to their roster — specifically at slot receiver — to complement outside threats Garrett Wilson. Allen Lazard and Mike Williams, a teammate of Renfrow’s at Clemson.

Thomas Christopher of Jets X-Factor recently shared his belief that the Jets should look to Renfrow as that target.

“Renfrow broke out with the Raiders in 2021, finishing with 1,038 yards on 103 catches. ‘Third and Renfrow’ proved to be one of the most reliable third down options in the NFL. From 2020 to 2021, the Clemson product had a 124.6 passer rating when targeted on third downs, which was good for fifth-best in the NFL over that span. On top of that, his 86.2 percent catch rate on third downs ranked first in the NFL.

Adding a receiver with prowess on “money downs” would create excellent opportunities within the Jets offense. That type of reliability would be something quarterback Aaron Rodgers would approve of, too.”

With the Jets in win-now mode, Athlon Sports also weighed in with their belief that Renfrow would make sense for New York, who saw the injury bug hit second-year receiver Xavier Gipson last week. Gipson suffered a leg injury last Thursday and will be out “a week or two” according to coach Robert Saleh.

Renfrow was drafted in the fifth round by the Raiders in 2019 and became a free agent after last season. In four years at Clemson from 2015-18, Renfrow caught 186 passes for 2,133 yards and 15 touchdowns in 55 games.

He caught the game-winning touchdown with 1 second left in the Tigers’ 35-31 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in January 2017.

Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and commentary. 

Will the wide receiver position need to be addressed next offseason?

The wide receiver position has been a strong area for the Vikings on offense in recent years but is it beginnng to unravel?

The Vikings’ offense has been strong at the wide receiver position in recent years, but is it beginning to unravel? Several aspects of this offseason suggest that it will need to be addressed during the 2025 offseason.

Looking at the current state of affairs within the Vikings franchise, they have yet to find a true number three wide receiver. K.J. Osborn left in free agency to go to the New England Patriots. Jalen Nailor was expected to fill that open position. Nailor, however, has not been healthy this offseason and has yet to earn that role that so many expected him to have.

Could they look to make a signing during training camp? Perhaps. There have been rumors of them being tied to several veteran wide receivers, such as Hunter Renfrow. Ultimately, it could prove to be too late in the offseason for an impactful signing.

Fast forward to the next offseason, and in the coming weeks, there may be time for a decision with Jordan Addison. At this point, he needs to have a serious meeting with the former USC and Pittsburgh receiver. In back to back offseasons, Addison has had significant traffic violations, the latest coming in the form of a DUI arrest not even seven days after his teammate died due to someone drunk driving.

If they decide to move on from Addison, or at the very least get a contingency plan in place, the NFL draft or free agency could provide that.

Spottrac projects the team to have over $63 million in cap space to spend next offseason. Robert Woods, Mike Williams, Brandin Cooks, and Darius Slayton are notable wide receivers playing on expiring contracts who could serve well alongside Justin Jefferson.

Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona, Luther Burden III from Missouri, Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State, and Tez Johnson from Oregon could be options in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jordan Addison could right the ship for himself, we hope he does. What he needs to realize that may help his mental processing of this all is the NFL is a business first and foremost. There are always plenty of options for a team to replace any problems on the team, and despite his immense talent and draft capital, he is no different.

Pro Football Network proposes Vikings sign Hunter Renfrow

The Minnesota Vikings are solid at the top two wide receiver spots, but could use help at WR3. Pro Football Network suggests Hunter Renfrow.

Justin Jefferson just became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history and is firmly entrenched as the Minnesota Vikings top wide receiver — and arguably the best receiver in the NFL. Opposite him, Jordan Addison had an impressive rookie season and is looking to take a leap in his second season.

But beyond those two, there are some significant questions. As it stands today, the Vikings don’t have a clear-cut option as the third wide receiver in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system. Brandon Powell and free agent acquisition Trent Sherfield figure to be the top options, but could there be better options out there? According to Lorenzo Reyna of Pro Football Network, the answer is yes: Hunter Renfrow.

In his piece detailing one free agent signing every team should make ahead of training camp, Reyna points out the precarious situation Minnesota is heading into camp with and thinks Renfrow provides the solution.

Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are the 1-2 punch, but Minnesota could use a No. 3.

Hunter Renfrow remains unsigned. Perhaps he can be the new Adam Thielen here, especially with J.J. McCarthy as the future under center.

Renfrow to the Vikings isn’t a new idea; he’s been a popular suggestion for the Vikings to help bolster the wide receiver corps since the NFL’s free agency period began. The fact that the Vikings haven’t pulled the trigger yet could indicate that they’re more comfortable with the situation at the position than fans and the media might believe.

Whether that’s true or not, it’s hard to argue with the fact that Renfrow would, at the very least, provide the team with some much-needed depth at the position. The competition would likely bring out the best in whoever winds up winning the battle and claiming the WR3 crown.

Vikings coaches looking for Jalen Nailor to step up as WR3

With questions at the position and options like Hunter Renfrow still available, the Vikings are looking for Jalen Nailor to step up in 2024.

Whether it’s Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings have set their quarterback up for success in the 2024 season. They’ve given whoever is at the helm one of the best wide receivers in the league, Justin Jefferson, a bright young receiver in Jordan Addison, and one of the best all-around running backs in Aaron Jones. They’ve protected him with a high-quality offensive line.

Then you add in the fact that they have one of the most quarterback-friendly head coaches in Kevin O’Connell and will have a top-flight tight end added to the mix when T.J. Hockenson returns from injury. Suffice it to say, there aren’t many question marks on the Vikings offense. One area there is a significant question, though, is at the third wide receiver spot.

The Vikings could look to the free agent market to answer this question. A number of options are still available, including former Pro Bowl wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. But the Vikings have been hesitant to dip into that market yet. According to ESPN’s Minnesota Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert, it’s because they’re hoping to see a step up from in-house option Jalen Nailor.

The coaching staff seems to have confidence in Nailor, with O’Connell saying:

Jalen has always been a guy that when he’s healthy and on the field, he shows up on every single opportunity he’s gotten… That’s our challenge to him. Sometimes things are out of your control, and we understand that, but for him to take that next step, we’re going ton need to see him out there a lot as part of that group

Nailor was the Vikings’ sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and has shown flashes of talent in his two seasons with the team. However, his biggest issue has been his inability to stay healthy. In two seasons with the Vikings, he has only taken 160 snaps and has 12 receptions for 208 yards and just a single touchdown.

Report: Browns showing no interest in free agent WR Hunter Renfrow

The Browns have not shown an interest in the former teammate of Watson

The Cleveland Browns have been a popular rumored destination for free agent wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. Most of this speculation goes back to his connection with quarterback Deshaun Watson from their days together, connecting for a national championship-winning touchdown while at Clemson.

Renfrow was then drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. In his five years in the NFL, Renfrow has racked up one 1,000-yard season, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2021 when he added nine touchdowns as well that season.

Over the past two seasons, however, Renfrow’s production has taken a steep nosedive, racking up less than 600 yards and two touchdowns in that span. As a result, Renfrow was released as the Raiders underwent yet another regime change.

According to TheOBR’s Brad Stainbrook, however, the Browns have not shown any interest in the former teammate of Watson:

“While the Browns could revisit things before training camp kicks off, the team has not had any contact with Renfrow, a league source tells TheOBR.com.”

The Browns traded for Jerry Jeudy this offseason and drafted Jamari Thrash in the fifth round as well. They are simply out of numbers in the wide receiver room as a guy like David Bell is now already firmly on the roster bubble.

Injuries happen, however, so the Browns could turn to Renfrow should they be snakebitten this summer (knock on wood). As for now, however, the Browns look content with the current construction of their wide receiver room.

Report: Saints were in the mix for former Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Report: Saints were in the mix for former Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling prior to signing with Bills

It doesn’t look like the New Orleans saints are finished adding wide receivers. They were in the mix for ex-Kansas City Chiefs wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling before he signed with the Buffalo Bills, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, which makes sense.

The Saints were outbid for Valdes-Scantling by the Chiefs just two years ago, and he was someone we suggested as a fit for New Orleans once Kansas City let him go as a salary cap casualty earlier this offseason. The team agreed, but you can’t fault the player for wanting to go to a better situation. Josh Allen is a much better quarterback than Derek Carr, and the Bills are a significantly stronger team than the Saints. He’s joining a Super Bowl contender rather than a squad stuck in a three-year playoffs drought.

So which wideouts could the Saints be looking at now that he’s off the board? Former Las Vegas Raiders slot receiver Hunter Renfrow is still available, and he’s someone the Saints tried to acquire at the NFL trade deadline last season, though it’s unclear whether the new offensive coaching staff sees him as a fit.

Other free agents looking for their next team include Russell Gage, Jamal Agnew, Sterling Shepard, and Jakeem Grant, who briefly tried out at the  recent Saints’ rookie minicamp but left after the first day.

The Saints typically dress four receivers on game days, but they like to roster five or six of them with two or three more on the practice squad. The current depth chart includes Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, A.T. Perry, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and rookie draft pick Bub Means as well as Stanley Morgan, Equanimeous St. Brown, and undrafted rookies Kyle Sheets, Jermaine Jackson, and Mason Tipton.

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ESPN analyst suggests the Vikings should sign a former Raiders’ WR

Let’s give it a shot. #skol

There are just a couple of question marks on the Minnesota Vikings offense heading into training camp. Are the Vikings happy with what they have at left guard? And who is going to emerge as the Minnesota slot-wide receiver?

The Vikings allowed K.J. Osborn to walk this past offseason and Minnesota went and signed former Bills receiver Trent Sherfield — who caught 11 passes in 2023. The Vikings also re-signed Brandon Powell who stepped up when Justin Jefferson went down. But is Minnesota looking to add another piece to the receiver room?

ESPN writer Bill Barnwell believes the Vikings should target and sign former Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow.

“The Vikings brought in Trent Sherfield this offseason and could expand Brandon Powell’s role, but Renfrow has a much more productive season in his recent past than either player has had at any point during their respective careers. Renfrow would probably be competing with Powell for the third wideout and punt returner role in Minnesota, a battle he could win if given the opportunity.”

The 5-foot-10 receiver out of Clemson has been the Raiders’ primary slot receiver. Renfrow had three productive years with the Raiders, his best being in 2021, when he caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine TDs. Renfrow’s production dropped the past two seasons, but Las Vegas hasn’t had a good quarterback situation either.

If the Vikings were to sign Renfrow and allow him to compete for the No. 3 job, Minnesota fans could have some optimism for what Renfrow could bring to the table.

9 Raiders free agents remain unsigned after first week

One week later and 9 Raiders free agents still unemployed

A great many departing Raiders found new homes over the past week. Some were re-signed to the team as well. You can all the team’s additions, retentions, and subtractions right here in our free agency tracker.

But not all of those who were a member of the Raiders a week ago have found a landing spot yet. Specifically these nine.

ESPN names Pittsburgh as best spot for FA wide receiver Hunter Renfrow

The Steelers need to add a slot receiver and ESPN thinks Hunter Renfrow is the best fit.

After a whirlwind start to free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers are hopeful that all these changes will result in more wins in 2024, especially in the playoffs. But after trading away wide receiver Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh finds itself in desperate need of at least one new wide receiver and one of those needs to be a veteran who can bring some maturity and leadership to the receiver room.

ESPN talked about the best fits for some of the top remaining free agents and they targeted former Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow as a fit for the Steelers.

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers. Diontae Johnson has been traded to the Panthers, and while the Steelers signed Van Jefferson, the former Rams wideout hasn’t been effective for most of his pro career. Renfrow would compete with Calvin Austin for reps as the team’s third receiver and return man.

Renfrow in the slot is a much better option than Austin who hasn’t found a spot in this offense. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith might have a plan to get Austin on track but the production of Renfrow cannot be denied.

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Raiders officially release 4 including QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Hunter Renfrow

QB Jimmy Garoppolo and Hunter Renfrow among 4 Raiders officially released

With the start of the new league comes a house cleaning of sorts. The Raiders first official act in that regard was to release four players from their roster.

Out are:

QB Jimmy Garoppolo
QB Brian Hoyer
WR Hunter Renfrow
DT Jerry Tillery

None of the players were released were with a June 1st designation, which means the Raiders clear some $22 million in cap space. Most of which coming from the Garoppolo ($11.26 million) and Renfrow ($8.2 million) releases.

That money is being sent directly to the additions of DT Christian Wilkins, QB Gardners Minshew, and TE Harrison Bryant. Along with the re-signing of C Andre James.

Garoppolo was signed last offseason to a two-year deal and ended up starting just six games before being benched for rookie Aidan O’Connell.

Renfrow had a Pro Bowl season in 2021, becoming just the third Raiders receiver ever to catch over 100 passes (103). He signed a new deal and then fell off the past two seasons after Josh McDaniels took over as head coach.

Tillery was never really all that effective. And new GM Tom Telesco had already cut him with the Chargers two seasons ago, so you know he wasn’t a fan either.

Hoyer…lol.