HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders placed a pair of Pro Bowl pass-catchers — tight end Darren Waller and slot receiver Hunter Renfrow — on injured reserve Thursday.
Waller and Renfrow will both miss at least four games, starting with Sunday’s home matchup against the Colts, and will not be eligible to return until the Raiders (2-6) play the Rams on Dec. 8.
Waller has been battling a strained left hamstring since a Week 5 loss to the Chiefs and already has missed Las Vegas’ last three games, while Renfrow has injuries to his ribs and a hamstring. Both players were listed as limited participants in Wednesday’s practice.
Both Waller (three years, $51 million) and Renfrow (two years, $32 million) signed offseason extensions, but neither has been able to stay on the field this year. They were supposed to team up with All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs and Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr to elevate the Raiders’ offense under new coach Josh McDaniels.
Instead, Las Vegas has lost three games in which it held 17-0 leads, and the quintet has played together in just three games thus far. Waller, Renfrow, Adams and Jacobs have played a total of just 43 snaps together.
Waller told ESPN on Wednesday that no one is more frustrated by the injury than he is.
“It’s not like I’m doing anything to keep myself off the field willingly,” said Waller, who had tested his left hamstring out in pregame drills the previous two weeks. “I’m doing everything that I can. It just may not be happening in the timetable that I’d like for that to happen.”
Waller also dealt with a right hamstring issue that forced him to miss significant time during training camp. He has missed eight of Las Vegas’ past 14 regular-season games after also suffering injuries to his back and knee in a Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys last year.
Waller’s numbers have paled in comparison to his previous production; he has just 16 catches for 175 yards and one touchdown this season. He had a franchise-record 107 receptions for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020, one year after he had 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three TDs in 2019.
Renfrow suffered a concussion on the final play of the Raiders’ stunning overtime loss in Week 2 to the Cardinals and missed the next two games. A year after hauling in 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns, Renfrow has just 21 receptions for 192 yards and zero scores this season.
Also Thursday, the Raiders promoted linebacker Curtis Bolton to the active roster from the practice squad. They also signed linebacker Reggie Ragland to the practice squad with Blake Martinez going on the reserve/retired list.
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