Only a few players that the Las Vegas Raiders, even dating back to their time in Oakland, have let go over the years have been badly missed by the fan base. Naturally, most of those players were either on their 2016 or 2021 squads, the only two Raiders teams to reach the postseason since 2002.
It should come as no surprise that several key players from those rosters became fan favorites for an organization that has been longing to get back to relevancy. Las Vegas hasn't built its roster properly, often letting talented players leave while missing on too many draft picks to sustain success.
Quite a few of the players that they have allowed to leave the franchise have gone on to have success elsewhere, however. One former fan favorite, Hunter Renfrow, has struggled since his departure and may have played the last snap of his NFL career.
Former Raiders Pro Bowler may have taken the last snap of his NFL career
Renfrow joined the then-Oakland Raiders as a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. While the front office may have missed with two of their three first-rounders, Renfrow was one of three Pro Bowlers -- along with Josh Jacobs and Maxx Crosby -- who were added to the roster in that year's draft.
His career began with two solid campaigns, finishing with 49 catches for 605 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, and 56 catches for 656 yards and two touchdowns the year after. Renfrow's true breakout came in 2021, when he played a pivotal role in the Raiders reaching the postseason.
The wideout set career-highs across the board, recording 1,038 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 103 receptions. His strong play earned him Pro Bowl honors for the first and only time in his career.
Renfrow's production dipped the following season, as he missed seven games due to injuries. While many expected him to return to performing at a high level after getting healthy, his 2023 season was the worst of his Raiders career, as he finished with 25 catches for 255 yards and no touchdowns.
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Following that season, the fan favorite was released and decided to take a year away from football as he battled some health issues. Renfrow returned to the NFL with a new lease on life in 2025, signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, his hometown team.
His season was quite uneventful outside of Week 2, where he hauled in seven catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns. Those were his only scores of the year, and he finished with just 89 receiving yards on 15 receptions in total on the year.
Renfrow had been inactive since Week 6, and the Panthers decided to release him on Tuesday, ahead of their postseason matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. In all likelihood, the former Raider has played the last snap of his NFL career.
After showing clear signs of a drop off in 2022 and 2023, then missing the entire 2024 season, it was a surprise that Renfrow returned to the field at all. Now that he was unable to replicate that success and spent most of the year inactive, it is difficult to envision another team bringing him in as anything more than a camp body.