Tag: Rodney Hudson

Cardinals omit Rodney Hudson from O-line image

His absence in the offseason and the image suggest maybe things have not been resolved yet.

Here at Cards Wire, we are counting down to the start of the Arizona Cardinals’ regular season. So are the Cardinals on social media.

In their recent tweet noting that there are 60 days until the Cardinals’ season opener, it included images of the projected starting offensive line — at least, four of the five projected starters. It did not including center Rodney Hudson.

The image includes tackles D.J. Humphries and Kelvin Beachum and guards Will Hernandez and Justin Pugh, but it does not have Hudson, which raises questions.

Hudson’s status with the team is uncertain. He did not report for any offseason work, voluntary or mandatory,  and his absence from minicamp was unexcused. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said last month that they were “working through some things” with Hudson.

It appears things have not been worked through for his return.

Training camp begins in less than two weeks and it appears their starting center might not play, whether he decides to retire or requests a trade.

Will he report to camp or will the Cardinals have to find a new starting center?

We will find out in not too long.

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The NFL’s top 12 centers

Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield continues our position lists with the best centers in the NFL today.

It starts with the snap.

In both my writing and my coaching, I try and impress upon those around me just how odd you have to be to play the quarterback position. You need to be a little…different. Convinced in your belief that you and you alone can be the only player tasked with making a decision with the football on a given play.

And yet, that is not exactly the truth.

After all, it starts with the snap.

Centers in the NFL today have a lot on their plate. They are tasked with helping to set protections and blocking schemes up front. They are tasked sometimes with identifying blitzes and making sure the offensive line is all on the same page. Then they have to make sure the quarterback gets the ball cleanly — otherwise people like me are going to point fingers when the ball hits the turf — all while the Aaron Donalds of the world are trying to drive them backwards.

It is not easy.

Here are the best centers in the game heading into the 2022 NFL season, along with the rest of our positional lists, leading up to the top 101 players in the NFL today.

The NFL’s top 13 safeties

The NFL’s top 12 slot defenders

The NFL’s top 12 outside cornerbacks

The NFL’s top 11 linebackers

The NFL’s top 11 edge defenders

The NFL’s top 12 interior defensive linemen

61 days till the Cardinals’ 2022 season opener vs. Chiefs

Rodney Hudson currently has No. 61. Check him out and others before him to wear No. 61 for the Cardinals over the years.

We are two weeks from the day veterans must report for training camp for the Arizona Cardinals. There are now 61 days until the Cardinals take the field at State Farm Stadium in Week 1 to face the Kansas City Chiefs for their first regular-season game of their 2022 campaign.

Center Rodney Hudson is currently the owner of No. 61, although there is some uncertainty about his future with the team, as he did not report for any part of the offseason program, including mandatory minicamp.

Hudson and others before him to wear No. 61 are below.

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Rodney Hudson was PFF’s top pass-blocking center again in 2021

He allowed pressure less than 1% of his pass-blocking snaps in 2021.

The Arizona Cardinals are currently dealing with the absence of starting center Rodney Hudson, who did not report to the team at all during the voluntary part of the offseason or mandatory minicamp. His absences from minicamp were unexcused.

With rumors of possible retirement, the Cardinals will miss him dearly in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, he was again the league’s best pass-blocking center.

In 2021, Hudson had a pressure percentage of only 0.88%. He allowed only four total pressures, including only one sack, in 456 pass protection snaps.

He was the only center in the league with more than 150 pass-blocking snaps with a pressure rate under 1%.

He has had a pressure rate of less than 1% in each of the last five seasons.

If he does not return in 2022, it will be tough to replace him. His leadership, intelligence and his pass blocking were all praiseworthy last season.

Ideally, he will come back for training camp, but if he doesn’t, the Cardinals will have a big hole to fill.

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POLL: What should the Cardinals do at the center position?

The Cardinals are set to lose Rodney Hudson to retirement. Who should the team look to in his absence?

The Arizona Cardinals are faced with the possible retirement of three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson. It’s a huge blow for a team that will already be down their best offensive player for the first six games of the regular season, as receiver DeAndre Hopkins was suspended six games for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.

What do you believe the Cardinals should do in Hudson’s absence? Which of the following do you believe is the best option to step in?

They could roll with their current backup center, Sean Harlow. Justin Pugh, their starting left guard, is getting work at center to potentially change positions. Rookie Lecitus Smith is a possibility. They could also look to free agency.

What should they do? Vote in the poll and give your thoughts in the comments section below the article.

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Salary cap implications of what could happen with Rodney Hudson

The Cardinals expect Hudson to be on the team, but here are the cap consequences if he does not come back.

The most recent drama surrounding the Arizona Cardinals is the status of center Rodney Hudson. They “are going through some things” with Hudson, who has been absent from the team this offseason.

He did not show up for the voluntary part of the offseason and also did not report for mandatory minicamp.

The fear is that he is contemplating retirement or would like to be traded.

If he does not return to the team, it will impact the Cardinals’ salary cap.

Rodney Hudson’s 2022 cap hit

Hudson is due $10.85 million in salary in 2022. Originally, $1 million of his salary was guaranteed. According to Over the Cap, that guarantee increased to $5 million. His total cap hit is $12.61 million.

This is what the Cardinals want to happen. They want him to come back, play and start.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has been nothing but effusive with his praise for Hudson’s play on the field and importance to the team.

If Hudson chooses to retire

Speculation is that Hudson might retire. If that is the case, then he would forfeit his salary for the season. The Cardinals would not be responsible for it.

They would carry a $1.76 million charge to this year’s salary cap and $5.28 million in dead money in 2023.

However, the Cardinals, if they chose, could get cap relief by seeking repayment of as much as $7 million of the signing bonus they gave Hudson when he signed his three-year, $30 million contract extension last year. That could remove all the dead money charges they would carry, but only if they seek repayment.

If the Cardinals trade Hudson

There is the possibility that Hudson is seeking a trade from the Cardinals.

If he is traded, the Cardinals would carry $1.76 million in dead money this year and $5.28 million in dead money in 2023 because of the signing bonus he was paid last year with his extension.

If the Cardinals release Hudson

This likely will not happen. Because he is due $5 million in guaranteed salary, the Cardinals would be on the hook for that total. That would lead to a cap charge of $6.76 million in 2022 and $5.28 million in 2023.

But the Cardinals would not pay him $5 million to not be on the roster.

The only way he is not on the Cardinals’ roster this season is if he retires or if he is traded.

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Cardinals’ interest in center prospects in 2022 draft now makes sense

With Rodney Hudson’s future with the team unsure, their interest in Tyler Linderbaum and Cam Jurgens now makes sense.

The Arizona Cardinals did not select a center in the 2022 NFL draft, but they had interest in at least two of them. At the time, it didn’t make sense, but with recent events things make more sense.

The Cardinals traded their first-round pick to acquire receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Had they kept the pick and not traded for Brown, they had targeted Tyler Linderbaum, the center prospect out of Iowa. He ended up being drafted 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens.

The Cardinals had another targeted in the second round. They selected tight end Trey McBride with the 55th overall pick but had their eyes on Cam Jurgens, the Nebraska center selected 51st by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Both players would have been fine selections but with Rodney Hudson as the starting center, it would have meant having a Day 1 or Day 2 pick sitting for a year as rookies.

But with Hudson not showing up to OTAs or minicamp, it must be that the Cardinals knew before the draft that they might have needed a center.

Hudson is still under contract for two more seasons but he will be 34 years old later this year.

After missing out on Linderbaum and Jurgens, the Cardinals could be turning to Justin Pugh, who is trying his hand at center instead of left guard.

We still don’t know how the Hudson story will play out, but the Cardinals could be looking for a new starting center over the next few weeks.

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5 things we want to see happen with the Cardinals before training camp

The Cardinals are off until training camp. These are things that need to happen before then.

The Arizona Cardinals have completed their offseason program and head into their summer break. They are off until the start of training camp, which, while it has not been announced yet, will start sometime at the end of July.

Before the start of training camp, we would like to see a few things happen with the team.

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Options for Cardinals at center if Rodney Hudson doesn’t return to team

Rodney Hudson’ absence from the team fuels speculation about his future. What can the Cardinals do if he doesn’t come back?

The Arizona Cardinals find themselves in a tough situation at center. Rodney Hudson, their starting center, did not show up for the voluntary or the mandatory part of the offseason, including minicamp this week. This leads to speculation about his future with the team.

If Hudson ends up not returning to the team, the Cardinals will need to pivot and quickly address the center position.

What are their options?

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4-Down Territory: News of the day, June 15, 2022

What’s happening around the NFL today? Check out the top stories from June 15.

What’s happening around the NFL today?

It’s mid-June, so not as much as we’d like. Still, there’s some minicamp drama, trade rumors, plus Odell speculation.

Check out the top NFL stories below.