Arizona Cardinals should aggressively pursue Rodney Hudson
By Jim Koch
Back on March 1st, the Arizona Cardinals made a tremendous free agent splash that greatly strengthened their defensive line. Superstar J.J. Watt chose to flock to the desert, with the help of a two-year contract that will pay him a healthy $28 million. Now, two weeks later, would Arizona’s front office be willing to make a difference-making acquisition on the offensive side of the ball?
For reasons known only to them, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to part ways with one of the NFL’s best centers. Rodney Hudson, a three-time Pro Bowler, was surprisingly handed his walking papers on Tuesday. The move will save the Raiders $6.4 million against the salary cap this year, but will leave $7.237 million in dead money as well.
Center was one of the least-talented positions on the Cardinals in 2020. Mason Cole, a third-round draft pick back in 2018, made 14 uninspiring starts for the squad last fall. Rookie Lamont Gaillard made the other two starts, but the sixth-round selection also failed to impress.
Hudson would be a fantastic addition to the Cards offensive line. The 31-year old was voted to the Pro Bowl following the 2016, 2017 and 2019 campaigns. Hudson also performed at a high level last season, and his release sent shock waves through Raider Nation.
The 6’2, 315 pound Hudson entered the league back in 2011, when he was a second-round draft choice of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Florida St. University product suited up for 51 matchups (35 starts) during his four campaigns with the Chiefs. In 2014, Hudson started all 16 contests for the first time in his career, and was ranked the fourth-best center in pro football that year by Bleacher Report.
In March of 2015, Hudson signed a five-year, $44.5 million free-agent contract with the Raiders when the franchise was still residing in Oakland. Four years later, the Alabama native inked a three-year, $33.75 million extension with the organization. That contract made Hudson the highest-paid center in the NFL at the time.
The signing of Watt should do wonders for the Arizona defense. It’s now time for general manager Steve Keim to acquire someone special for the team’s “Air Raid” offense. A big-time offensive lineman like Hudson certainly fits that description.