No one saw it coming, but the Carolina Panthers just signed former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the news and the ensuing reaction has run the gamut from ecstatic to bewildered, to some Raiders fans outright mourning.
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Renfrow, the guy with great routes and clutch hands (seriously, guys, he was nicknamed “3rd and Renfrow” for a reason), spent five years in Las Vegas and is now a free agent. Now, this next destination, Carolina Panthers, is a very welcome addition for the club to have him come there to develop with second-year QB Bryce Young, rather than just to come develop.
So what are people saying about it? Don called it a “great move” lauding Renfrow’s skills to take the Panthers’ offense into great aspirations while KingMaker boldly went out on a limb stating that getting him was literally the difference in Carolina winning the NFC South. Real hot take, but why not? Optimism is free to put forward statements like that.
Not everybody is happy, however, that Hunter is now part of the Carolina Panther organization. Heel Steve was like: “Was just thinking they needed a 6th receiver lol,” while Mojo Caster boldly branded Hunter Renfrow as a “poor bastard” for joining the Panthers (although he would take the check, so… priorities).
What about Raiders fans? They are feeling sentimental. Hercules simply commented, “gonna miss him,” with Mikey chipping in, “Congrats to 3rd and Renfrow he will always be a Raider!” Even Eric Mantebonlovichslowski (“yes, that’s a real username”) had to chime in and argue with someone about whether or not Renfrow was washed. Just classic Twitter discourse.
Then comes the fantasy football crowd. Shane Reynolds asked if he should start Renfrow for his “24-team dynasty league,” which… first of all, who plays in a 24-team dynasty league? That just sounds like chaos. Meanwhile, Nittany Nation Recruiting – Ed actually praised the deal because he has Renfrow locked in for “another 5 years.” Commitment.
And let us not forget the other guy who thought Renfrow had retired due to concussions. Hey, Jeff Norris, we see you. (He didn’t retire – he just took a break from the Raiders’ mess, by the way).
What does this mean for the Panthers? Renfrow could be a sneaky-good add if he can keep nagging injuries at bay. This guy has trustworthy hands, knows how to find the sticks. He could become a safety blanket for Bryce Young and, as Meena5150 expressed, a “clean slate” for a guy who was underutilized in Vegas last season.
However, let’s face it, it’s not the magic wand that’ll fix all of Carolina’s problems. Renfrow can’t prove the value of the Panthers single-handedly; there are many questions regarding that. However, it is a good move and at the least gives fans something else to talk about that isn’t last year’s dumpster fire.
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The only thing you can bet on is that things just got spicier in the NFC South. Whether it manifests itself in wins or not? Well, we’ll see. For now, at least Panthers fans can relish the fact their team is making moves, while Raiders fans? Y’all can remember the glory days when Renfrow was winning games in silver and black.