In 2023, the Dallas Cowboys had one of the best regular seasons in the NFL.
Sure, they trailed the Philadelphia Eagles for much of the season as the top dog in the NFC East, but as the season went on and Nick Sirianni’s team took an absolute tumble due to the borderline unprecedented collapses at the coordinator spots, Dallas came out on top as the pride of the division, even if they ultimately faltered when it mattered most in the postseason, losing to the Green Bay Packers in ugly fashion 32-48.
Still, while the Cowboys were widely called “losers” off the offseason, with players like Michael Gallup leaving in free agency and Leighton Vander Esch leaving the sport entirely for the greener pastures of retirement, the team still added some interesting names in the draft and appeared locked to secure a double-digit season once more under Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott.
But hey, just because the team was able to largely replace the talent they lost and even secured a few interesting options in both free agency and the draft, there’s still a need for at least one more offensive weapon to help fortify the team’s attack. Fortunately, the Raiders just so happen to have released a player who fits that bill perfectly and could effectively swap out one player for another in a clear strategic upgrade heading into the 2024 season.
Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) cannot catch a pass while defended by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (26) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Nov 25, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) cannot catch a pass while defended by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (26) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Cowboys could benefit from a WR3 like Hunter Renfrow.
With CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cook locked in as the Cowboys’ WR1 and WR2 respectively, the team has a few options to round out their offense heading into the 2024 season, with 2022 third-round pick Jalen Tolbert, 2023 seventh-round pick Jalen Brooks, 2024 sixth-round pick Ryan Flournoy, and return specialist Kavontae Turpin all vying for the WR3 spot, they really don’t have a “proven” option to fill the reign, which, considering the Oregon State product is entering Year 11 of his professional career, is a scary proposition.
Renfrow could unquestionably fill that void.
Sure, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound fifth-round pick out of Clemson may not be the greatest athlete in the world today, but he is a proven, reliable target who knows how to get open against zone, runs crisp routes against man, and just generally serve as the sort of offensive safety blanket that makes things easy for a quarterback like Prescott who needs a little help underneath on third downs and in the endzone.
If Renfrow is willing to accept a prove-it deal with the Cowboys to chase a ring and rehab his value, there really is no downside in giving him a shot unless, of course, Dallas really likes Tolbert heading into Year 3.
The Raiders believe Brock Bowers could help replace Hunter Renfrow.
While the Raiders will unquestionably miss Renfrow this fall, as even if they did procure some talented players during the spring, they do call the Clemson product “Third and Renfrow” for a reason and his presence will be hard to replace straight up from the wide receiver spot.
Fortunately, the Raiders used their first-round pick on Brock Bowers, the do-it-all tight end from Georgia, and while he will technically play tight end, he will likely end up filling a hybrid role similar to Renforw on “money” downs.
“You try and stick to [best player available] when you can. It’s harder than you think sometimes because you’re adding to the football team, and we know where we are today. We are looking for today and the future. But a player like Brock, just the scouting staff, where they have him, what they thought about him, what the coaching staff thought. He’s really a pretty consensus guy,” Tom Telesco told reporters via Raiders Wire.
“We love Michael Mayer. I love Michael Mayer. He’s a really good player, He’s going to take another big jump this year,” Telesco added. “But we had a chance to add another dimension to the offense, whether it’s tight end, hybrid receiver, whatever it is. We need more playmakers on that side of the ball, so he’s going to help us there. High-level player in college, true junior, very young, still developing, but he’s got some natural football skills combined with some high-level athletic ability and speed.”
You know, technically speaking, Renfrow and Bowers could fill similar roles as part of an offense, with the Georgia pass-catcher becoming Gardner Minshew and/or Aiden O’Connel’s top target when they need a quick four yards on third down. Was that really worth a first-round pick, especially when they could have kept Renfrow around and upgraded another position with a blue-chip prospect? Only time will tell, but from a fit standpoint, it’s an obvious comparison to make.
