It turns out the Las Vegas Raiders will not be releasing center Rodney Hudson. Instead, Hudson now becomes an integral part of an emerging NFC West contender.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Raiders are sending Hudson to the Arizona Cardinals for a swap of draft picks.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Cardinals will also get a seventh-round pick, while the Raiders obtain a third-rounder from Arizona.

This is a strong move for both sides. The Raiders get draft compensation rather than outright releasing one of the better centers in football. Arizona gets, well, one of the best centers in football.

Hudson made the Pro Bowl three times in a span of four years between 2016 and 2019. He has missed just one game since 2016, proving himself one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the game.

The 31-year-old becomes an immediate asset for the Cardinals and the Raiders at least get something in return.

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Arizona's offensive line showed some improvement in 2020, as Kyler Murray was sacked 27 times after being sacked 48 times in his rookie season. But Murray still had an average time of just 2.4 seconds in the pocket, which ranked towards the bottom of the NFL. He was often forced to use his legs.

Although Murray is explosive as a rusher, the Cardinals would undoubtedly prefer he has more time to throw. Hudson has the best pass-blocking grade among all centers since 2015, per Pro Football Focus.

That is a seriously consequential addition.

Arizona has now added impact guys on both lines in J.J. Watt and Hudson. The Cardinals also signed A.J. Green to add depth in the receiving corps.

Make no mistake, general manager Steve Keim is intent on competing for the NFC West title and then some.