The Las Vegas Raiders have made significant roster moves at the onset of the new league year, parting ways with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and receiver Hunter Renfrow to bolster flexibility within the salary cap for the team’s new leadership.
In addition to Garoppolo and Renfrow, the Raiders also released backup quarterback Brian Hoyer and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery shortly after the commencement of the 2024 league year.
These strategic releases provide the Raiders with ample salary cap space as they embark on offseason endeavors under the guidance of general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce, aiming to elevate the team’s competitive status.
These decisions were largely anticipated, particularly after Garoppolo’s benching mid-season under Pierce’s leadership, signaling a shift in the team’s long-term plans regarding the aforementioned players.
Last offseason, the Raiders inked Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $72.75 million deal with the expectation that he would assume the quarterback role following Derek Carr’s departure. However, the move didn’t yield the desired results.
Garoppolo’s tenure with the Raiders faced challenges almost immediately. A failed physical necessitated foot surgery, prompting a renegotiation of his contract. Despite recovering from injury, Garoppolo struggled to replicate his prior performance with the San Francisco 49ers.
During his six starts for Las Vegas, Garoppolo threw nine interceptions and only seven touchdowns, leading to his benching after a coaching change. Furthermore, a suspension in February for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs allowed the Raiders to void his $11.25 million guaranteed salary for the 2024 season.
Although the Raiders will incur a $17.1 million dead cap hit, they stand to save at least $11.3 million against this year’s salary cap due to these developments.
The Raiders will enter the offseason with a quarterback competition between second-year player Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew, who recently agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal earlier this week, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal has not been formally announced and was shared with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
Alternatively, Las Vegas might consider drafting a quarterback to enhance their options. With the 13th pick in next month’s draft, the Raiders have the opportunity to bolster their quarterback depth.
Hunter Renfrow’s trajectory with the Raiders underwent a significant shift, transitioning from a standout addition under Jon Gruden to a sparingly used player over the past two seasons under McDaniels and Pierce.
Originally a fifth-round pick in 2019, Renfrow emerged as a key figure in the passing game in 2021, tallying 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl selection and contributing to the Raiders’ playoff run.
Renfrow’s stellar performance in 2021 led to a two-year contract extension worth $31.7 million in 2022. However, he struggled to replicate his success over the following two seasons, hampered by injuries in 2022, where he posted career lows of 36 catches for 330 yards in 10 games.
Despite being healthy last season, Renfrow’s productivity declined even further, as he only managed 25 catches for 255 yards across 17 games. Consequently, the Raiders opted to release him rather than pay his $11.2 million base salary for 2024.
Renfrow concludes his tenure with the Raiders after accumulating 269 catches for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns over five seasons.
This decision enables the Raiders to free up $8.21 million in salary cap space, albeit with a $5.5 million dead cap hit.
Jerry Tillery appeared in 25 games for Las Vegas following his acquisition from the Chargers on waivers during the 2022 season. Despite being a former first-round pick, Tillery only recorded two sacks for the Raiders.
Brian Hoyer was signed as a backup, leveraging his prior experience with McDaniels in New England. However, he was unsuccessful in his lone start for the team last season.