When the Las Vegas Raiders drafted wide receiver Hunter Renfrow in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, fans did not realize they were drafting someone who would be one of the most productive receivers in their recent history.
Renfrow shined with a Pro Bowl season in 2021 with 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns, but injuries and a new regime shoving him down the depth chart led to an unceremonious exit in 2023. Despite taking a year off from football, Renfrow announced his comeback earlier this year as a response to retirement rumors. While the Raiders did have some level of interest, it did not feel as though a reunion was on the horizon.
However, another team also vied for Renfrow’s services, and he will now stage his return with a team much closer to home.
Renfrow will get to play in the NFL with his home team.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Renfrow agreed to terms on a contract with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Comeback: Former #Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow is signing with the #Panthers, making his return to the NFL after a year away, per me and @TomPelissero.
The ex-Pro Bowler and Clemson star joins his hometown team, as Carolina adds post-Draft. Deal done by @mgcsports. pic.twitter.com/fqIPl6cmPG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2025
A South Carolina native and Clemson product, Renfrow is now playing for a team on his home turf instead of on the other side of the country.
The veteran returns at the correct time, as Renfrow joins a Panthers receiver group in need of veteran presences. He will be tasked alongside Adam Thielen to assist in the development of younger players, as Carolina has spent back-to-back first round picks on Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan. All of this should help the development of Bryce Young, who earned another year at starter after responding well to an early-season benching in 2024.
Renfrow might not be with the Raiders any longer, but fans will be hoping for his continued success all the same.
