The Las Vegas Raiders shocked the NFL world when the news dropped early in free agency that they were planning to release Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson. He’s been one of the team’s best players for years and is also a great leader. However, the Raiders didn’t want to pay him anymore and he was tired of losing so they mutually agreed it would be best to part ways.
Luckily, Las Vegas didn’t actually have to release Hudson. The Arizona Cardinals came calling and the two sides worked out a trade that got the Raiders a third-round pick in return for the star center. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim couldn’t believe the news that Las Vegas was going to release Hudson.
“Well like everybody, I saw the news that he was potentially going to be released, which shocked me because of the type of player that I saw on tape,” Keim said recently.
Keim wasn’t content having to compete with Hudson on the open market. He quickly reached out to the silver and black and cut a deal.
“We tried to pull the trigger extremely quick. It took a matter of minutes to get the deal done,” Keim said.
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Keim Scouted Hudson Years Ago
Hudson has been an elite center for years so everybody around the league knows how good he is. However, Keim has been keeping an eye on the Pro Bowler since before he was even in the NFL.
“I go back years ago to when I scouted him at Florida State and he’s still the same type of player that I saw there,” Keim said. “We had high grades across the board on him from [offensive line coach] Sean Kugler to our personnel department. So not only as a player what he brings to the table, but his leadership, the intangibles are really what excited us.”
The Cardinals are an emerging team and have been really aggressive this offseason. Hudson is probably not as elite as he once was but is still a great player. He’s exactly the kind of guy you want working closely with your young quarterback who is still developing.
Hudson Was Surprised by Trade
Prior to the trade, Hudson was one of the longest-tenured Raiders. He was one of the few holdovers from before Jon Gruden took over. When the team handed him a big contract extension during the 2019 season, it looked like he’d be around a lot longer. He wasn’t expected to get traded.
“There was a good bit of uncertainty, the trade was a bit of a surprise, but here I am today and that’s all that matters,” Hudson said, via the Cardinals’ website.
While Hudson could’ve taken the opportunity to take a shot at his now-former team, he decided to keep the focus on the Cardinals.
“It doesn’t even really matter at this point to me,” Hudson said. “It might matter to some people but to me it doesn’t matter how we got here, I’m just excited to be here.”
Hudson is a true professional and will probably never throw the Raiders under the bus. Though he is no longer part of the team, he’ll always be one of the most respected players to ever wear silver and black.
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NFL GM ‘Shocked’ Raiders Would Release 3-Time Pro Bowler