Although the Oakland Raiders have ushered in some significant changes to their roster in recent years, there has been plenty of speculation regarding the future of Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson.
The Raiders have put an emphasis on shoring up the protection for quarterback Derek Carr up front. Hudson is among the notable additions that have become an integral part of this group moving forward.
Of course, Oakland has done plenty of lucrative spending this offseason in their efforts to spark a potential resurgence in the 2019 NFL season. With mandatory minicamp in full swing, they appear to be deadlocked in negotiations at this point.
According to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, head coach Jon Gruden is adamant that the Raiders’ brass is busy hashing out a potential deal:
Jon Gruden said Raiders GM Mike Mayock been in contact with center Rodney Hudson’s agent regarding new contract. “We consider him a big piece of this franchise. We’re going to do everything we can to keep him here a long time.” Hudson entering final season of deal.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) June 11, 2019
The Raiders’ efforts to keep Hudson around are certainly understandable. The former second-round pick has become everything the team had hoped for and more after signing with Oakland prior to the 2015 campaign.
He quickly made his presence felt as a captain of this offensive line that is looking to get back to its dominant ways. The veteran has been selected to two Pro Bowls while only missing three games in his four seasons with the team.
His dependability will undoubtedly serve as a stabilizing factor for this group moving forward after they made a few changes in personnel this offseason. Although there is plenty of hype surrounding the arrival of Trent Brown and the potential emergence of Kolton Miller, Hudson will continue to be the anchor of the offensive line.
The only question now is whether or not the Raiders are willing to pay him his worth after restructuring his deal last offseason. Despite all that he brings to the table, his $8.9 million annual average ranks 10th among players at his position.
While the Raiders have brought in plenty of new toys for Carr to play with, it is safe to assume that he would not want to compromise his already lackluster protection from last season. It will be interesting to see if and when a deal gets done.
