Could Hunter Renfrow Be a Viable WR3 Candidate for the Vikings?
Former Las Vegas Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow remains a free agent, and the Vikings have done very little to address their wide-receiving core so far this off-season.
It seems like a nitpick, considering they roster the best wide receiver on Earth in Justin Jefferson as well as a high-end WR2 in Jordan Addison, but past them, the going gets a bit thin.
They did sign Trent Sherfield in March, but that move isn’t as much about his receiving ability as it is his run blocking prowess. Brandon Powell seems to be the defacto WR3 as we head into OTA’s, but it is only May, and there is plenty of time left to add to the room. So, why not Renfrow?
Mr. South Carolina
Hunter Renfrow is South Carolina royalty, hailing from Myrtle Beach and attending college at Clemson. It was at Clemson he would win two national championships, one with current Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson and the other with current Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence.
By no means did Renfrow light the world on fire via the box score, as over his 53-game collegiate career, he only accumulated 186 receptions, 2,133 yards and 15 TDs. He is more famously remembered for his game-winning touchdown in the 2017 National Championship.
Up-And-Down Start To His NFL Career
Through the first three years of his NFL career, Hunter Renfrow was a very reliable target for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. He eclipsed 600 yards receiving in each of his first three career seasons, peaking in 2021 with 1,038 yards on 103 receptions including 9 TDs. Again, not exactly elite numbers, but that consistent production over a large sample-size of three seasons suggests a legitimate role in an offense.
After 2021 is a bit of a different story, as an abdominal strain kept him out for a total of 7 games in 2022, limiting his total to 10 games played that season. In those 10 games, he only put up 330 yards on 36 receptions and 2 TDs. Las Vegas putting an emphasis on the run game could be a big culprit for his dip in production, as well as the pure offensive incompetence that the Raiders displayed under Josh McDaniels for the length of his tenure. It’s fair to say Renfrow can get a bit of a pass on 2022, as it seems he never truly saw an opportunity to produce due to multiple factors.
2023 saw Renfrow play all 17 games, though he still put up an unimpressive 255 yards and 0 TDs on 25 receptions. In fairness, 2023 was the first year without Derek Carr, and much of it was spent with rookie Aidan O’Connell at quarterback. This season also saw McDaniels get the boot, and Antonio Pierce take the reigns of the Raiders at head coach. It is also important to note that Renfrow’s production dipped immediately as Davante Adams was acquired via trade from the Green Bay Packers in 2022.
Renfrow’s role in Las Vegas slowly diminished (for whatever reason) as his career went on and changes were made up top in the organization. This was made apparent by the Davante Adams trade, the signing of Jakobi Meyers in 2023, and the drafting of Tre Tucker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
How Renfrow Fits In Minnesota
There is a clear drop-off between the Vikings’ top duo in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison among their wide receivers. This is no slight to Brandon Powell, Trent Sherfield, Jalen Nailor, and the rest of the receiver room,, but there’s a glaring hole between WR2 and the roster full of WR4’s and 5’s, and that’s somewhere a healthy Hunter Renfrow could fill in perfectly.
Jordan Addison proved in college and the NFL as well to a certain extent in his rookie year that he can be effective both on the boundary and in the slot. Justin Jefferson, of course, is lethal wherever he lines up. Hunter Renfrow could be the perfect compliment to the Vikings two-headed WR monster.
Looking at just 2023 alone, according to PFF, 322 of Renfrow’s 363 offensive snaps (88.7%) came in the slot. The case is the same for 2022 with him playing almost exclusively (85.6%) in the slot. However, looking at his career year in 2021, he played 495 of his 758 snaps (65.3%) there. Still the majority, but not as dramatic as a difference. The first two years of his career are somewhere in the middle, with both seasons coming in 70-75% range.
A slot specialist wouldn’t just compliment one of the top WR tandems in football, it would also open up possibilities for T.J. Hockenson when he returns from injury, and provide a short-yardage safety valve for Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy.
At the end of the day, the Vikings still lack a legitimate WR3 on their roster, pending a breakout from Jalen Nailor or an elevation of the role from Brandon Powell that we don’t know about yet. Renfrow could be the perfect fit, having already proven his effectiveness when healthy and when put in a position to succeed.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference.
Could the Vikings’ Stance on J.J. McCarthy Also Apply to Dallas Turner?