Raiders get two key offensive players back from IR stints

Reinforcements are on the way for the Raiders on offense. Vegas has designated both tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to return from IR, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Waller has been out since mid-October, but it was not until one month after his most recent game played that the Raiders placed him on IR. A lingering hamstring injury has limited the Pro Bowler to just five contests in 2022, putting a significant dent in the team’s potential in the passing game. It also marked an unwanted beginning to his time after signing a three-year, $51M extension in September.

Negotiations over a new deal dominated the summer, one in which the Raiders finalized a number of big-money contracts. Waller established himself as a preeminent tight end during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, eclipsing 1,100 yards each year. Injuries limited him to 11 contests in 2021, however, and this season has obviously not gone according to plan. A return to the field, if not to his dominant form, could do wonders for the 30-year-old individually and the Raiders offense as a whole.

Given the fact that Renfrow was placed on IR on the same day as Waller, it comes as little surprise that the pair are returning to practice simultaneously. The slot receiver was shut down while dealing with a myriad of injuries and has suited up for six total games over the course of the season. His summer also included contract talks, and it ended in a $32M deal that came off the back of his Pro Bowl campaign in 2021. That, coupled with the addition of Davante Adams, led to significant expectations for the Raiders pass-catchers.

The team ranks just 12th in the league with an average of 246 passing yards per game, however, a sign of the inconsistency that has helped lead to a disappointing 5-8 record. Part of the Raiders' middling performance can be attributed, of course, to the absence of Waller and Renfrow. Their return in the near future will help Vegas in their attempt to generate momentum at the end of the season and leave the team with two IR activations available to be used.