After health issues kept Hunter Renfrow out of the league last season, the legendary former Clemson wide receiver is now making his NFL comeback as a member of the Carolina Panthers.
And according to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, Renfrow has made big leaps forward since signing with the team last month.
Renfrow agreed to a deal with the Panthers on April 27, and in a press conference this week, Canales gave his assessment of where Renfrow is physically right now as he returns to action after not playing in 2024.
Being around Renfrow so far, Canales said he’s seeing “the muscle memory of a guy who’s been a really good player” in the league and that he’s improving substantially on a weekly basis.
“You see weekly he just makes these huge strides, just getting his feet under him,” Canales said. “I can tell, too, having coached wide receivers, 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.
“It’s been really cool to watch him, as his feet get underneath him, and the explosiveness and all the little things show up. It’s been really fun to see.”
After signing with Carolina, Renfrow explained why he didn’t play last season, revealing that health challenges kept him off the field last year – specifically, the autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis, which caused weight loss, fatigue and high fevers.
Now that the condition is under control, the 29-year-old is embarking on his first NFL campaign since 2023.
Following that season, Renfrow became a free agent in March 2024 when he was released by the Raiders, the team he spent five seasons with after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Renfrow’s release came just a couple years after he signed a two-year, $32 million contract extension in June 2022, including $21 million in guaranteed money.
When he was last on the field in 2023, Renfrow had career lows with 25 catches, 255 receiving yards and no touchdowns over 17 games, after catching only 36 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns across 10 games in 2022 while being limited due to injury.
However, Renfrow was highly productive across his first three seasons with the Raiders from 2019-21, tallying 208 receptions for 2,299 yards and 15 touchdowns. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021, when he recorded career highs with 103 receptions, 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns.