Raiders mailbag: Could this former wide receiver rejoin team?

The Raiders have their 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad set. Now, it’s full steam ahead to their Sept. 7 season opener on the road against the Patriots.

Fans have plenty of questions as kickoff gets closer and closer. Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

Doc Holliday (@MarkPinnix): A lot of fans want (wide receiver) Hunter Renfrow back. Have you heard any talk that it’s a possibility?

Vincent Bonsignore: Renfrow, a 2019 fifth-round pick, was a fan favorite during his five seasons with the Raiders. He was one of quarterback Derek Carr’s go-to options throughout much of his tenure.

The Raiders released Renfrow in March 2024 and he spent last season getting healthy. He signed with the Panthers this offseason, but was cut Tuesday and is now a free agent.

It would be a great story if Renfrow, 29, re-signs with the Raiders. But the fit feels dubious. The team brought back wide receiver Amari Cooper on a one-year deal Monday. That doesn’t appear to leave much room for Renfrow with veteran Jakobi Meyers and youngsters Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. already in the fold.

Injuries could always change the equation. But the Raiders wide receiver room seems settled for now.

Dana Wagner (@DanaNews3LV): How much does Amari Cooper have left in the tank?

(Bonsignore): Cooper, 31, believes he still has a lot to offer.

He is expected to help the team on short to intermediate routes, as well as third downs. He showed he can still contribute last season, when he had 44 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns in stints with the Browns and Bills.

DeathMachine (@Deathmachine365): I know you said the team likes their cornerback room; they have to say that, but how much confidence should the fans have in them?

Bonsignore: There’s always cause for concern when a team is as young at cornerback as the Raiders are. Expect there to be some growing pains.

Still, this is a skilled and competitive group the team hopes will develop as the year goes on. Coach Pete Carroll also showed throughout his Seahawks tenure his staff can develop cornerbacks. Now it’s up to young players like Kyu Blu Kelly, Decamerion Richardson and rookie third-round pick Darien Porter to take advantage of their opportunities.

Ricardo Lopez (@Ricardo80211503): Have there been continued contract negotiations with Meyers’ agent? Do you think it’ll get done?

Bonsignore: It’s unclear where talks are at after Meyers, a pending free agent, requested a trade Monday due to his frustration over the lack of progress on an extension. Neither side wants to negotiate in public.

The Raiders could try to smooth things over by giving Meyers, who has a $10.5 million base salary this season, a little bit of a pay bump this year. That may buy the team some time to try to work out an extension in the coming months.

Ed Helinski (@MrEd315): Who were roster surprises at cutdown day?

Bonsignore: It was a surprise that center Will Putnam made the team. But the undrafted free agent out of Clemson, who spent last year on the Raiders’ practice squad, deserved to.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.