Las Vegas Raiders: Rodney Hudson could have been an all-time Raider
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders had something special in center Rodney Hudson, but his run in the Silver and Black was not what it could have been.
When you think of some of the best offensive linemen we have seen play for the Raiders over the past ten seasons, former center Rodney Hudson has to be at the forefront. A second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2011 NFL Draft, Hudson played four seasons with the Raiders’ rival before coming to Oakland as a free agent prior to the 2015 NFL season.
Once Hudson put on the Silver and Black he became one of the best centers in the game, bringing back memories of Jim Otto at the position for the Raiders franchise. Hudson was a three-time Pro Bowl player in his six seasons with the team, missing only four games throughout that entire run.
He was the key to the “Carr Insurance” offensive line and had he not been traded after the 2020 NFL season, could have gone on to be an all-time Raiders great. Hudson was downright dominant in the middle of the Raiders’ offensive line for more than half a decade, providing stability as Derek Carr navigated his early NFL career.
Hudson was traded away along with a seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals, paving the way for Andre James to take over as the team’s center. On Sunday night, Pro Football Talk tweeted that Hudson planned to retire this offseason. He has a short run with the Silver and Black, but with the franchise, he was widely regarded as one of the best offensive linemen in the game.
Raiders could move on from James in 2023
Last month, we talked about James, and how he could be a prime cut candidate for the team this offseason. His salary has not matched his production since taking over for Hudson, and while he is a solid player, Las Vegas has guys on the roster, including second-year interior offensive lineman Dylan Parham, who could take over at a cheaper rate.
The end of Hudson’s career brought back some great memories of those old Raiders offensive lines he headlined. Guys like Kelechi Osemele, Hudson, Donald Penn, and Gabe Jackson were maulers for the Silver and Black for years, and this is another one of those chapters ending.