Breaking News: Raiders steals $66 million Pro Bowl defender In Blockbuster deal from NFC contender
The Las Vegas Raiders look to acquire another pass rusher to the roster. The team selected Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round of the draft, and also retained Malcolm Koonce this offseason, but finding another experienced player opposite Maxx Crosby would be a logical move.
The pass-rushing market is pretty dry, but Silver and Black Pride’s Bill Williamson believes the Raiders are set sign free-agent edge rusher Za’Darius Smith to upgrade the defensive line.
“The veteran pass-rusher may have better fits because the Raiders would use him as a rotational piece. But they could use some more pass-rush juice and the accomplished Smith would provide it,” Williamson wrote.
Smith is getting older and doesn’t have the same juice he used to have, but the 32-year-old is coming off a productive 2024 campaign where he tallied nine sacks and his veteran leadership would be incredibly valuable for a Raiders team under a first-year head coach.
Additionally, Smith wouldn’t be relied upon to be the primary pass rusher and could flourish playing alongside Crosby. The three-time Pro Bowler has posted 69 sacks in his 10-year career thus far, including three double-digit sack campaigns.
The Detroit Lions could have interest in bringing back Smith, as the team recently signed the veteran defender’s nephew, wide receiver Jackson Meeks, to an undrafted free agent deal, and still has a need at edge rusher. However, if Smith is looking for a change of scenery in 2025, signing with the Raiders would be a nice move for both sides. Las Vegas would add a potential starter, while Smith would receive the chance to play meaningful snaps for a potential playoff contender.
Former Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow details reason behind sitting out 2024
The Carolina Panthers have spent the last couple of months adding players to the roster in a bid to be more competitive in 2025.
Some of the notable players the team brought in during free agency are Tershawn Wharton, Tre’von Moehrig, and Rico Dowdle.
During the NFL Draft, the team added talented wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and edge-rusher Nic Scourton, among others. However, a move the team made just after the draft concluded went under the radar and could have a big impact.
Last Sunday, the Panthers signed wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. Renfrow went unsigned during the 2024 season and will now attempt a comeback with his hometown team.
The receiver revealed that he sat out the 2024 season due to struggles with an autoimmune condition called ulcerative colitis. The condition caused Renfrow to suffer weight loss, fatigue, and high fevers.
“It kicked my butt pretty good,” Renfrow said. “Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds. I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It’s tough to play when you’re not feeling great.”
However, the receiver spent the last year meeting with specialists and doctors to try and get his condition under control, and now feels like he’s in a good spot.
Renfrow was born in Myrtle Beach and went to college at Clemson, so being back in the Carolinas is important to him.
“I’m from the Carolinas, born in Myrtle Beach, went to school at Clemson, and so the opportunity to come back here and be a part of Carolina, the people are special to me, the place is special to me,” Renfrow said. “I’m probably a little biased, but I would tell them when I was in Vegas, you know, the Carolinas are the best place in the world. I would tell my teammates that over and over. And watching Cam Newton in the Super Bowl, just a lot of good memories. I’ve been a Carolina Panther fan my whole life, right?”
This Panthers’ receivers room should be more competitive than it has been in prior seasons. McMillan will start on one side, while 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette and reliable veteran Adam Thielen should man the other starting spots.
Behind that trio, the team also has Jalen Coker, who impressed in 2024, along with David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr., and Dan Chisena, just to name a few.
In 2023, Renfrow’s last season, the Clemson product caught 25 passes for 255 yards. Renfrow’s best season came in 2021 when he caught a whopping 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl selection in the process.
