NEW ORLEANS — On paper a wide receiver corps that includes Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Tre'Quan Smith may look like one that does not need any reinforcements, especially after the New Orleans Saints added Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr.
However, Thomas' lengthy injury history merits the Saints adding someone else as a contingency plan, and Locked on Saints podcast host Ross Jackson has just the target in mind.
"I'm going after one player and one player only when it comes to the trade market," Jackson said. "And that's Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow."
Renfrow is a slot specialist, with over 65% of his snaps the past four years coming from the slot. He's an elite third down weapon and a danger in the red zone, having hauled in 15 touchdowns on 33 receptions within the opposing 20-yard line.
Beyond that, Renfrow had a solid working relationship with Carr during his Raiders tenure, peaking with a 111-catch season in 2021 in Jon Gruden's West Coast-style offense.
Pete Carmichael Jr. and the Saints are running a Sean Payton-system in New Orleans that looks similar to Gruden's offense, making a reunion between Carr and Renfrow one that could be very productive for all parties involved.
Acquisition cost and financial cost are clear factors here, but if the Saints can make this work they'll add a marquee third wide receiver behind Thomas and Olave and excellent insurance in case of any injuries in 2023.
Catch the full conversation on today's Locked On Saints podcast on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts!