Raiders moving on from Waller and Renfrow would be a mistake
By Brad Weiss
Recent news suggests the Las Vegas Raiders will move on from Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow this offseason, which would be a mistake.
The 2022 season was a major disappointment for the Las Vegas Raiders, as they were unable to capitalize on making the playoffs the previous year. For Las Vegas, there was plenty of hype going into the 2022 campaign, as Josh McDaniels was supposed to come in and make the offense one of the best in the NFL.
With the arrival of Davante Adams to go along with Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller in the passing game, it was to be a career year for Derek Carr. Instead, while Adams was outstanding in Year 1, the offense was based around Josh Jacobs, who led the NFL in rushing and yards from scrimmage.
A lot of that also had to do with the fact Renfrow and Waller were hurt for much of the season, appearing in only 19 games between the two of them. Now, as the team looks to 2023, rumors are swirling that they could be available via a trade, which I believe would be a mistake going into next season.
Sure, the two count nearly $25 million against the cap next season, but they are also two of the best at their respective positions, and are two players the Raiders should look to keep, not send packing.
Raiders should make Waller, and Renfrow a part of the solution
In 2023, Waller and Renfrow need to be a part of the solution, especially if you want to entice Tom Brady or even Aaron Rodgers to join the Silver and Black. Both Waller and Renfrow are considered premium players at their position groups and would be a part of the attraction of coming to Las Vegas to play for the Raiders.
If things did not work out in 2023, which would only happen if they are injured again, the dead cap hits next offseason are minimal, especially for Waller, as it is under $500,000 per spotrac.
Las Vegas has plenty of issues to deal with this offseason, and trading either Waller or Renfrow could bring back some draft assets. However, replacing them would likely bring a significant downgrade at the position, so if Las Vegas wants to win in 2023, and bring in talent to do so, getting rid of two key pieces is not the right move.