NFL insider Ian Rapoport reports Wednesday morning that the Las Vegas Raiders will be releasing wide receiver Hunter Renfrow once the new league year begins later in the day. Also adding that Las Vegas will be parting ways with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as well making them both free agents this offseason.
Las Vegas will be saving $13.7 million against their cap by releasing Renfrow, marking the end of a five-year run between the shifty wideout and the Raiders organization.
The Raiders selected Renfrow with the No. 149 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Where he helped lead the Tigers to two College Football Playoff national championships after catching 186 passes for 2,133 yards and 15 touchdowns in his four seasons with the team. Notably catching the game-winning touchdown from quarterback Deshaun Watson with one second remaining in the 2017 National Championship against Alabama and also winning the Burlsworth Trophy in 2018. Awarded annually to the most outstanding FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on.
Between his first two seasons with the Raiders Renfrow caught over 100 passes, racking up 605 yards in 2019 and 656 yards in 2020. Scoring six total touchdowns in his 29 game appearances and 10 starts. But in 2021 he’d have a breakout season, earn his first Pro Bowl selection after becoming Las Vegas’ leading pass catcher.
Renfrow posted 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021, all career highs despite only starting in nine of his 17 game appearances. Which also represented the only season in the past five years that the Raiders have made the playoffs, with Renfrow catching eight receptions for 58 yards in the Wild Card Round in a 26–19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
His production would drop the past two seasons for the Raiders, catching 36 passes for 330 yards and two scores in 2022 and a career-low 25 receptions for 255 yards last season. As he’ll now take his talents to another NFL franchise ahead of the 2024 season.
Garoppolo also become a free agent this offseason after signing a a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Raiders in March of 2023 following stints with New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. Reuniting with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels who the Raiders head coach before being fired after the team’s Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions.
That same week Garoppolo was benched for rookie Aidan O’Connell after starting starting the first six games of the season and missing two with injury. Ending his lone season in Vegas with 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Garoppolo will also notably miss the first two games of the 2024 season after violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
More must-reads: