After spending considerable draft capital on wide receivers over the past two seasons, including a second-round pick each year, the Green Bay Packers could certainly roll with their young draftees as the entirety of the position group. However, if Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur wanted to bring in a veteran who could contribute both as a leader and a contributor right away, it might make sense to kick the tires on a Hunter Renfrow trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Packers selected six wideouts in the 2022 and 2023 drafts combined, and we’ll start this all off by saying that any veteran signing should not come at the expense of any of those players making the team. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed are all locks to make the 53-man roster, and it would take something quite shocking for Samori Toure, Dontayvion Wicks, and Grant DuBose to not make the team, either. The question of adding a receiver would likely come at Bo Melton‘s expense. The Packers signed Melton off the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad in late December of last year.
If Gutekunst and the Green Bay front office were to look elsewhere for a veteran presence within the position group, Renfrow makes a lot of sense. The fact that there were reports that the Raiders did not receive any trade offers for Renfrow means that there’s smoke coming from somewhere. Perhaps it’s Vegas trying to gin up interest in the 27-year-old out of Clemson, who will be entering his fifth season. Or maybe it’s coming from the player’s side. He could be unhappy with his situation last season and looking to produce in what could be his last chance at a big contract.
In June 2022, the Raiders signed Renfrow to a two-year, $32 million extension with $21 million in guaranteed money following a season in which he caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. But he had an injury-plagued 2022 season where he missed two games with a concussion and five more with an abdominal core injury. Last year, Renfrow amassed only 36 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders also added Jakobi Meyers on a three-year, $33 million deal, plus they drafted tight end Michael Mayer out of Notre Dame in the second round and picked the 5’9” Tre Tucker out of Cincinnati in the third round. Therefore, there won’t be that many targets for new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to spread the ball around to.
Oh yeah, plus the Raiders still have Davante Adams.
All of this is to say that Las Vegas might be willing to part with Renfrow, given that there may be salary cap savings in the future, especially with new money committed to the likes of Meyers. If Russ Ball can make the salaries work, and there’s a deal where the Packers send a fifth-round pick for Renfrow and a sixth, the fit might make sense.
The line in the story there — a team isn’t going to give up significant resources for someone they view as a one-year rental — holds true for many teams, but maybe not so much for the Packers. A veteran slot presence has been a staple of the Green Bay offense for a long time. Therefore, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for Renfrow to fill a Randall Cobb role for a year. The obvious focus would be on developing the six-man youngster unit into a force for the future. But adding in a reliable veteran like Renfrow is more about making the development of Jordan Love a bit smoother. Love will be looking for players who can create space and be in the right place. Hiring Renfrow as a mercenary to help Love move the chains could be the exact safety valve the first-year starter needs.
Green Bay moved on from Aaron Rodgers as a long-term play, handing the reins to Love. Gutekunst has filled the coffers with young talent, but putting all of the chips in that basket doesn’t leave a lot of room for error. If the price is right (which means not much), and the salaries work out, Hunter Renfrow collecting first downs, helping to teach Jayden Reed how to be a pro slot receiver, and providing some veteran savvy for Jordan Love sounds like a worthwhile investment for the 2023 season. If the stars align, meaning the Packers don’t need to part ways with any young talent, adding Renfrow could make a lot of sense this year.
