Hunter Renfrow is making a comeback. The former Raiders wide receiver seemed to disappear despite a Pro Bowl season with Las Vegas not long ago. But after spending last season away from football, Renfrow signed with the Carolina Panthers following the 2025 draft and his new head coach is excited by what he’s seen from the wideout so far.

“You see weekly he just makes these huge strides, just getting his feet under him… Having coached wide receivers, I can tell he’s got a lot in his game: Releases, top of the route setup, avoidance, different things where he can double up stuff at the top of his routes, and you can see him kind of working through his inventory, his tool bag if you will,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said of his newest receiver, per ProFootballTalk.

“It’s been really cool to watch him, as his feet get underneath him, and the explosiveness, all the little things show up. It’s been really fun to see,” Canales added.

Can the Panthers revive Hunter Renfrow’s NFL career?

November 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Cor'Dale Flott (28) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Renfrow was a fifth-round pick out of Clemson back in 2019. He put together two solid seasons to begin his career before treating Raiders fans to his 103-catch, 1,038-yard, nine-touchdown 2021 campaign that earned him a Pro Bowl nod.

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However, after breaking out in 2021, Renfrow mysteriously faded away in Las Vegas over the next two seasons before the Raiders released him and he sat out all of last year.

Now a member of the Panthers, Renfrow revealed the reason for his absence in 2024. The 29-year-old wideout had been dealing with the autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis. The illness impacted his health and made playing football impossible. But with the condition under control, Renfrow is giving the NFL another shot. And Canales and the Panthers couldn’t be happier.

Even if the former Raider puts up stats similar to his rookie seasons (49 receptions for 605 yards and four touchdowns) he could be a key contributor on a team that suddenly appears stacked with receiving talent.

The Panthers just spent a first-round draft pick on a wideout as the team signed Tetairoa McMillan to a $27.9 million rookie contract. Carolina also has dependable veteran Adam Thielen and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette joining Renfrow in the receivers room. That’s a lot of talent to help promising third-year quarterback Bryce Young continue to develop.