The Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte-based NFL team, are going through a major roster rebuilding in advance of the new NFL season. The team announced the re-signing of wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to a one-year deal. This decision comes after Jalen Coker was placed on injured reserve due to a quad injury. The Panthers have one eye on their young quarterback, Bryce Young. His play is being debated as they look towards the 2025 NFL season.
Hunter Renfrow took a hit when the Panthers cut him loose just this past week. Now, he’s back for Round 2 and returning to the team! Last year, he didn’t play at all in 2024 after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Renfrow has health question marks, with ulcerative colitis forcing him to miss much of his 2023 season. A hamstring injury suffered in training camp derailed his momentum. To make matters worse, he fought a major illness that brought on the fever of 103 degrees for a week in a row.
Coach and fellow Renfrow-ologist Dave Canales admitted that Renfrow is still working to rediscover his pre-injury self. “He’s not quite back to the form he showed early in training camp,” he stated, highlighting the receiver’s ongoing recovery process.
Additionally, WR Jalen Coker has been put on injured reserve and can be expected to miss the first four to six games. This unprecedented situation has created even more urgency for the Panthers to get Renfrow back. The team had regular, ongoing conversations with him, showing their investment and compassion as he began his long recovery road.
On a recent episode of “Get Up,” former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky and the crew jumped into a really stimulating conversation. They looked at Bryce Young’s chances of emerging as the Panthers’ starting QB by 2025. They looked at the potential for Young to continue his current trajectory of play over the course of a season. Young’s performance will be crucial for the team’s success, especially with recent roster changes.
Adam Thielen was signed this same week to what is consistently reshaping the Panthers’ receiving corps. With these changes, Renfrow’s experience may well be invaluable as he re-integrates himself into the team.
Looking back at the last two seasons racked with injuries and being out of sync, Renfrow sighed in exasperation.
“I felt so bad those two years, and I felt like I let my teammates down so much,” – Hunter Renfrow.
He added, “Because I had expectations. I just signed a new contract [in 2022]. I had a new coaching staff that I was going to be perfect for. And I was just a dud.”
As the Panthers gear up for the season, all eyes will be on Bryce Young and the newly re-signed Renfrow to see how they adapt to these changes and contribute to the team’s overall performance.
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