NFL Trade Rumors: Las Vegas Raiders trade OL Rodney Hudson to Arizona Cardinals
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to trade their Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson to the Arizona Cardinals. The trade is subject to Hudson passing a physical exam. The Arizona Cardinals will acquire Rodney Hudson and a 2021 seventh-round draft pick, while the Raiders will receive a 2021 third-round draft pick.
Rodney Hudson has been selected to the Pro Bowl in 2016, 2017, and 2019. The veteran will be entering his 10th season in the NFL and has spent the majority of his NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders. Rodney Hudson started 92 games for the Raiders at center.
The three-time Pro Bowler has not missed a snap in four out of the six seasons he played with the Raiders. He has played less than 70% of the offensive snaps only once during his career, his rookie season with the Chiefs. Over the last nine seasons, Rodney Hudson has played a combined 8,156 offensive snaps for the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Arizona Cardinals are proving that they are all in when it comes to bringing in talent this off-season. With that being said, how will Rodney Hudson make an immediate impact on the Arizona Cardinals offensive line?
NFL Trade Rumors: How does Rodney Hudson make an immediate impact on the Cardinals' offensive line?
The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line gave up 29 total sacks against opposing defenses in 2020. Kyler Murray took 27 of those and it has become an issue because the Cardinals need Murray to be healthy. The Cardinals have not had a running back rush for over 1,000 yards since David Johnson's monstrous 2016 NFL season.
Adding Rodney Hudson will not only help the Cardinals' issues blocking the pass rush, but it can also help their run game. Rodney Hudson has helped the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive line produce back-to-back seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher. Hudson is also extremely disciplined and did not commit a single penalty during the 2020 NFL season.
The Arizona Cardinals' offensive line ranked 10th in the 2020 NFL season. They ranked seventh in quarterback pressures, eighth in sack percentage, third in pass-block win rate, sixth in run block win rate, and second in rushing yards before contact. Many of these rankings need to be credited to Kyler Murray's ability to escape difficult situations.
The Arizona Cardinals received a Pro Bowl interior offensive lineman that will come in and start immediately. Rodney Hudson is one of the best centers in the NFL and he will make an immediate impact on the offensive line of the Arizona Cardinals.