Raiders make Rodney Hudson league’s highest paid center (again) on three-year extension

Four years ago the Raiders made Rodney Hudson the league’s highest paid center on a 5-year, $45 million deal. Since then, the $9 million per season he was making has been bumped down to tenth in the league. Well, no more. Hudson is once again the league’s highest paid player. But more importantly, he will be a Raider for a very long time.

As Tom Pelissero is reporting, Hudson received a three-year, $33.75 million contract with $24 million in guarantees. That extension will pay him $11.25 million per season, moving him just ahead of Bills center Mitch Morse ($11.125) as the league’s highest paid center.

There is no question whatsoever that Hudson deserves to be the league’s highest paid center. He has made the Pro Bowl twice in his four years in Oakland, and if we’re honest it should have been four times.

His extension kicks in as the Raiders depart for Las Vegas which will mean that extension will arrive with a lot lower taxes.

The Raiders had $17.3 million to spend under the cap, so they could afford to use some of it to take care of their best player.