Receiver Tabbed as Free Agency Target for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings lost various contributors in the 2024 offseason. Departed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and Pro Bowl pass-rusher Danielle Hunter obviously draw the most attention of the guys no longer under contract. Linebackers Jordan Hicks, Marcus Davenport, and D.J. Wonnum are others who will be wearing different uniforms in 2024.
Receiver Tabbed as Free Agency Target for Vikings
Besides Cousins, the Vikings will also compete without two other starters on offense. Left guard Dalton Risner is inexplicably once again floating around in the free agency pool instead of finding a new job, and wideout K.J. Osborn joined the New England Patriots, where he might catch passes from rookie Drake Maye.
His exit left a hole in the WR room, as the team hasn’t acquired any proven player to replace Osborn. Brandon Powell showed some solid production last season but is perhaps better suited to be the fourth guy in the rotation. Although tabulating 417 yards in 2022 was promising, free-agent addition Trent Sherfield couldn’t eclipse 100 yards in four of his last five seasons.
The Vikings could still explore the free-agent market after failing to add a player in the draft. According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, Hunter Renfrow, previously with the Las Vegas Raiders, is viewed as a potential target for the franchise.
Renfrow emerged as a valuable option out of the slot for the Raiders in 2021, but after signing an extension, injuries and the addition of Jakobi Meyers marginalized his spot in the lineup. After racking up 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021, he has totaled 585 receiving yards and two scores combined over the past two seasons.
The Raiders unsurprisingly cut Renfrow after the season. I wouldn’t expect him to land much more than a one-year deal for just over the minimum at this point of free agency, but at that price tag, taking a flier on the 28-year-old seems like a reasoned move. He also returned punts during his time with Vegas, which helps if he’s going to be a fourth or fifth wideout on game day.
Bill Barnwell, ESPN
He might be the WR4 on other teams, but he would likely emerge as the third option in the WR room in Minnesota. Renfrow is a proven weapon, while Powell and Sherfield are still mysteries with long but unproductive careers on offense.
Renfrow is possibly one of the slowest receivers in the NFL, and he surely doesn’t win with his size, but his ability to run routes is unmatched, and he possesses good hands. In five seasons with the Raiders, Renfrow recorded 2,884 receiving yards and 17 scores. After back-to-back 600-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020, he eclipsed the 1,000 yards in 2021. Since then, his role has dipped.
His fit with the Vikings would be fascinating because Addison and Jefferson primarily line up on the outside. Renfrow, meanwhile, is a slot receiver who can be the QB’s safety blanket over the middle of the field, especially until T.J. Hockenson returns to the field. His short game could complement the deep threats on the outside.
Just like Barnwell suggested, the deal would be cheap. If there had been significant interest on the market, someone would have pulled the trigger and signed the 28-year-old already. The Vikings could get a cheap but reliable option that fits the vacancy perfectly.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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