Raiders relying on Rodney Hudson’s veteran leadership
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Late last week, the Raiders made Rodney Hudson the highest-paid center in football, signing him to a three-year, $33.75 million extension.
General manger Mike Mayock touted Hudson over the weekend as the “quintessential glue player,” someone the Raiders undoubtedly wanted to keep as the club relocates to Las Vegas next year.
Coach Jon Gruden echoed the sentiment on Monday, saying, “We’re really happy to get Rodney Hudson signed before the season.”
Hudson himself, not known for being a man of many words, somewhat downplayed the situation when asked about his new deal following Monday’s practice.
“I think the most important thing is to get it behind me so I can just focus on football and getting better every day,” Hudson said.
Hudson has been a mainstay of the Raiders’ offensive line since signing with the club as a free agent in 2015. A second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs out of Florida State in 2011, Hudson’s been named to a pair of Pro Bowl teams (2016, 2017) as a Raider. The 30-year-old is regarded as one of the best centers in football, and he now has a contract to prove it.
“You feel appreciated,” Hudson said. “I mean, everybody works hard. I think to feel wanted and to feel appreciated, you should be thankful for that.”
But when it comes to the move to Las Vegas and what that will mean for Hudson and his family — the tax implications, for instance — Hudson said that’s not on his mind right now.
“I can’t even look that far ahead,” he said.
Instead, he’s concentrating on what the Denver Broncos will bring to Monday Night Football in Week 1, with a defense known for its tenacious pass rush and a new head coach in Vic Fangio.
“It’s a big challenge,” Hudson said. “You’ve got to learn the game plan, see what you want to do. Work to perfect it and then go out on [Monday] and ultimately execute.”
The Raiders will need Hudson’s veteran leadership, particularly early in the season. Starting left guard Richie Incognito’s suspension has officially begun, and he is not allowed to participate in team activities for the first two weeks of the season. Plus, starting right guard Gabe Jackson will be out for the next few weeks recovering from his MCL injury.
On Monday, Gruden said Denzelle Good is the likely starter at right guard while Jordan Devey and Jonathan Cooper are the contenders to start at left guard. Gruden said the team should have a decision between Devey and Cooper by Wednesday.
Hudson said no matter who’s out there, all have taken meaningful snaps.
“We’ve just got to pick them up, help each other — whether new guys are in or me, we all help each other,” Hudson said. “We’ve just got to work at it and I think they’ll be fine.”
While each of the substitute guards has played, they haven’t played much together. Good started the last three games of the 2018 season for the Raiders in place of an injured Jackson. The Raiders signed Devey in March and Cooper in mid-July.
That could be an issue for the Raiders, who ended 2018 with 52 sacks allowed — tied with the Miami Dolphins for fifth-most.
“It’s just something we’ve got to work through,” Hudson said of the OL shuffling. “We can’t make excuses — we’ve got to find a way to get it done.”
Fortunately for the Raiders, Jackson’s recovery appears to be going well, which could see him back on the field sooner than later.
“I saw Gabe walking around, so I followed him around to see how that knee is doing,” Gruden said. “Really happy to see the progress he’s made. We didn’t put him on IR for that reason. We think after the first few ballgames, he’ll be close to returning.”
But for now, Hudson, right tackle Trent Brown and left tackle Kolton Miller will have to adapt and adjust to whoever is in the game.
Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.