The Raiders took care of one of their 2019 draft picks when they signed defensive end Maxx Crosby to a contract extension in March.
Could 2019 fifth-round pick Hunter Renfrow be next?
Quarterback Derek Carr would apparently like to see that happen. He mentioned Renfrow by name in his press conference after signing his own extension earlier this month, with the quarterback saying he structured his new deal so that Las Vegas could keep core players around. And after news emerged that 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel had requested a trade, Carr replied to a tweet saying the Raiders should go after him with, “that money is for Renfrow.”
So, how close are the Raiders to a new deal with Renfrow?
General Manager Dave Ziegler didn’t provide much of an answer during his pre-draft press conference on Wednesday, though there was one possible hint.
“A very talented player. I’ve been asked about him in the past and he’s just he’s a gritty guy, knows how to get open, knows how to win on third down, has some return experience, is good after the catch,” Ziegler said. “So, yes, Hunter is a good football player and has a good a lot of good elements that allow him to be successful on Sundays, which is important. And he’s a young player.
“So, like I’ve said before, when we talked about, I think it was Derek [Carr] at the owners meeting, relative to contracts and things like that, we’re always going to keep those things in house and keep those discussions private. Hunter’s going to be no different in that regard, but we’re excited that he’s on the team. We love good receivers and, you know, he’s one of them.”
If Ziegler is going to bring up Carr, it’s worth noting that the Raiders had an extension done with the quarterback just a couple of weeks after he made those comments at the league meeting in Palm Beach. But Las Vegas clearly has plenty of reason to like Renfrow’s production.
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A fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft, Renfrow is entering…