NFL Transactions: Carolina Panthers Sign Hunter Renfrow

The Carolina Panthers are giving a hometown hero a second chance. The Panthers officially signed former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow today.

Clemson's very own@Verizon | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/zWHn1XI6OE
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 28, 2025

Renfrow played five years with the Raiders, but in Carolina, he's likely best remembered for his four seasons with the Clemson Tigers, where he helped propel the program to a pair of National Titles in 2016 and 2018.

At his peak, Renfrow was a credible, productive slot receiver with the Raiders. He amassed an impressive 2299 receiving yards over his first 46 career games and even made a Pro Bowl in his third season.

Unfortunately for Renfrow, he clearly fell out of favor when the Raiders overhauled their coaching staff in 2022. Despite inking a two-year, $32 million extension prior to the season, he played a mere 377 offensive snaps in 2022 after peaking with 758 in 2021. Despite constant trade rumors, he was eventually released in March of 2024 and failed to find a new team for the regular season.

Impact

Renfrow is still only 29 years old and hasn't missed time due to injury since 2022, so he should still be able to put his best foot forward.

Still, it's no certainty Renfrow will be able to crack the Panthers' rotation. Their leading receiver last year was Adam Thielen with 615 yards, but he'll be 35 before the regular season begins. This year's eighth-overall pick Tetairoa McMillan will certainly see plenty of opportunities, but 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette failed to light the world on fire as a rookie.

Ultimately, the Panthers probably view Renfrow as their current WR4. For him to be anything more, Thielen will need to decline precipitously, or McMillan and Legette will have to disappoint. The more action Renfrow sees, the more likely it means something has gone wrong for the Panthers.