Hunter Renfrow's potential is too high for the Raiders to ditch him now

Raiders should focus on keeping a fan favorite

Raider Nation loves him. But fans also patronize him without even realizing it. I’m as happy as anyone that we stole him at pick 149. I totally get celebrating his career so far, despite average scouting reports and average combine results. But the Pro Bowl receiver has proven himself continuously since early rookie year – we all knew early on that season this guy was a legitimate starter.

The underdog label we’ve slapped on him is a novelty that’s worn off. He’s so much more than that now. You are only doing him a disservice by posting pictures of him from college where he doesn’t “look” like an NFL athlete or doesn’t “look” like a jacked receiver with muscles popping through his skin. Renfrow probably has better stats than those guys anyways.

By focusing on how Hunter Renfrow got here, people miss the incredible career he’s putting together.

We treat Renfrow like a cute little puppy doing tricks, rather than praising him like a fierce lion who consistently destroys defenses.

So again, maybe it’s the underdog label his whole career that's unconsciously swaying the front office – or maybe it’s the concussion in 2022 or the money increase in 2023. All I know is, we’ve had a larger sample of his success than we have of these concerns. At 27 years old, I strongly believe he is essential to the Raiders offense in the next 3-4 years. If not, he has a spot on the Saints roster waiting for him.