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Baltimore Ravens should pounce on free agent center Rodney Hudson

By Michael Natelli

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Center Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders calls out the coverage to teammates before a play against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Center Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders calls out the coverage to teammates before a play against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens still need another addition on the interior offensive line, and recently-released center Rodney Hudson would be the perfect fit.

Eric DeCosta made quick work of accomplishing his primary goal this offseason, signing right guard Kevin Zeitler to a three-year, $22.5-million deal.

Zeitler comes with just a $4-million cap hit in his first season, an absolute steal for a quality guard that will vastly improve a position that saw consistent mediocrity from a combination of Tyre Phillips, Ben Powers, Patrick Mehkari, and DJ Fluker in 2020.

But Orlando Brown Jr.’s situation is still in flux, and the Ravens need help at either center or the other guard spot, depending on what the plans are for Bradley Bozeman.

When it was reported on Monday that Corey Linsley had reached a deal with the Chargers, it seemed like Baltimore’s plan would have to be sliding Bozeman to center and finding another guard in free agency or through the draft.

David Andrews and Alex Mack are both still on the market, but it was hard to see the Ravens outbidding some of the more cap-laden teams, especially given both would impact the comp pick formula.

That changed today, as it was announced that the Las Vegas Raiders will be releasing veteran center, Rodney Hudson. Suddenly, a third legitimate option is on the market, and because he’s been released, the three-time Pro Bowler would give the Ravens a way to address two offensive line spots without affecting the comp pick formula.

If it’s true that the wide receiver market is developing as slowly as has been reported, perhaps Baltimore will opt to allocate resources toward a receiver and patch the rest of their offensive line needs through the draft.

But Hudson is suddenly a very compelling option that checks all the Ravens’ boxes and would really help them enter the draft without much in the way of true “needs”. The 31-year-old has missed just five total games since 2013 and did not commit a single penalty in 2020, giving Baltimore the durability and discipline they desperately need in the middle of the offensive line.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens move fast on Hudson, and if they do, it begs the question of whether they would ask Orlando Brown to stop seeking trades, stay more one season, and give Baltimore an all-world offensive line to try and make a Super Bowl run.

The Bottom Line:

For all the injuries the Ravens endured in 2020, it is incredibly underappreciated that Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to an 11-win season.

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But we’ve seen what Jackson can do with any sort of protection, and Hudson would make it possible for that to be his reality in 2021. He may not be the X receiver fans are hoping for, but a Hudson signing could prove to be just as meaningful for Jackson’s ability to bounce back to his 2019 ways. The Ravens should pounce while they have the chance.

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