With the start of the league year, the Raiders are getting rid of two of their most expensive players.
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Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow will get cut today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Today is also the day the Raiders are expected to officially release quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whose departure has been coming since he was benched last season.
The Raiders will save a little over $11 million in salary cap space by cutting Garoppolo and a little over $8 million by cutting Renfrow.
Las Vegas has plenty of salary cap space even after signing two expensive free agents in Christian Wilkins and Gardner Minshew. These won’t be the last significant moves we see from the Raiders.
It has been the expected move for months, but still, it’s was a stunning development in the big picture. The 2019 fifth-round pick from Clemson was a Pro Bowl player in 2021 and he neared a big contract extension.
Yet, Renfrow’s production suddenly and dramatically dropped. He went from catching 103 passes in 2021 and being a third-down sure thing to catching 36 passes in 2022 and just 25 in 2023.
He fall out of the offensive game plan of former coach Josh McDaniels. Yet,. he still wasn’t part of the game plan much after McDaniels was fired after Week 8 in 2023. Renfrow did not have a reception in the final four games of the season.
Renfrow signed a two year, near $32 million deal in 2022. he was signed through this season. The team will get a salary-cap savings of $8.2 by cutting Renfrow. But the Raiders also have $5.5 million in dead cap money by releasing Renfrow, who was going to have a $13.7 salary-cap hit this season.
The Raiders are also expected to cut quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery on Wednesday as the new NFL league year begins.
Renfrow, 28,is now a free agent and can sign with any team. Among the possible landing spots for, him include a reunion with close friends Derek Carr and Foster Moreau with the New Orleans Saints, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Carolina Panthers.
