QB Jimmy Garoppolo, WR Hunter Renfrow among four players cut by Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders released four players Wednesday, including receiver Hunter Renfrow less than two years after signing him to a lucrative contract extension, and quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Bryan Hoyer almost exactly one year after signing them in free agency.

Renfrow confirmed the long-expected decision on social media on Wednesday, thanking his teammates and coaches for inspiring him over his five years with the franchise.

Renfrow went from being one of the best additions under Jon Gruden’s regime to a little-used player the past two seasons under former coach Josh McDaniels and current coach Antonio Pierce.

Garoppolo and Hoyer both previously played in New England but joined the Raiders last offseason to reunite with then-head coach McDaniels, the former Patriots offensive coordinator. Garoppolo was the Raiders’ starting quarterback at the beginning of 2023, but only started six games and struggled amid injuries, with 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions on a 65.1% completion rate.

He was benched when McDaniels was fired after a Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions, with Pierce promoting rookie Aidan O’Connell to starting quarterback when taking the reins. It was reported last month that the Raiders had planned to cut Garoppolo when the new league year started Wednesday after the NFL handed him a two-game suspension for violating the league’s Performance Enhancing Substances Policy.

Hoyer, who had spent most of his career playing for McDaniels in New England and Las Vegas, was also expected to be released.

A fifth-round pick in 2019, Renfrow emerged as the focal point of the passing game in 2021, when he had 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl nod and help lead the Raiders to the playoffs.

Renfrow was rewarded for that in 2022 with a two-year contract extension worth $31.7 million. But he was unable to repeat that production the past two seasons.

Renfrow was hampered by injuries in 2022, when he finished with what then were career lows of 36 catches for 330 yards in 10 games.

He was healthy last season but even less productive, with 25 catches for 255 yards in 17 games, leading to the decision to release him instead of paying him an $11.2 million base salary for 2024.

Renfrow finished his tenure with the Raiders with 269 catches for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons.

The move saves the Raiders $8.21 million in salary cap room but does carry a $5.5 million dead cap hit. Las Vegas then created even more salary cap room by releasing Garoppolo before he would have been owed an $11.25 million roster bonus on Sunday.

Garoppolo’s $11.25 million base salary had been guaranteed but was voided when he was suspended

The Raiders are absorbing a $17.1 million dead cap hit by releasing Garoppolo.

The team also released defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. Tillery played in all 17 of the Raiders’ games last season, recording 31 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.