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Let’s try to wrap our heads around Raiders’ release of Rodney Hudson

There are so many questions

By Bill Williamson
/ new
Las Vegas Raiders v Cleveland Browns
Derek Carr
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

It’s been a few hours since the news broke that the Las Vegas Raiders are releasing center Rodney Hudson — and I still remain stunned by it.

Rarely do NFL moves shock me, but this one did. I never saw it coming and now that it is happening, it’s difficult to see how it makes sense.

Let’s look at some aspects of the decision and what it all means:

Monetary reasons:
Because of dead money in Hudson’s contract, Las Vegas loses more than $2 million in salary cap room with this release. The thought around the league is that the Raiders don’t want to pay the cash and they want to clear room on next year’s salary cap. That is ridiculous if true.

The NFL is a year-to-year business. The Raiders need to do everything they can to build for this season or it’s a total slap in the face of the fanbase.

Expect more craziness:
I don’t know what is coming, but I get the feeling that a lot is going on in the Raiders’ facility and more bombshells could be on the horizon.

Derek Carr can’t be pleased:
The Raiders’ quarterback has seen the team decide to trade right tackle Trent Brown to the New England Patriots, guard Richie Incognito released, and Hudson and guard Gabe Jackson reportedly both on their way out. Carr is at his best when the offensive line is in sync. No matter what happens, this will be a season of transition on the unit and Carr could suffer because of it. Now, the Raiders have big holes on both sides of the ball.

Las Vegas Raiders v Denver Broncos
Jon Gruden
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Gruden effect:
Jon Gruden calls the shots in Las Vegas and he has seven more seasons left on his contract. He has made major changes to the roster every year and there hasn’t been a lot of results in terms of victories. At some point, owner Mark Davis will need to see a solid working plan.

What’s next at center:
The Raiders like backup center Andre James, but he is green. The Raiders could go to the draft or into free agency, but whoever is snapping the ball to Carr in 2021 is, they will likely be a downgrade from Hudson.

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