In somewhat of a shocker, the Las Vegas Raiders have released Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson. The move comes as the Raiders appear to be redoing a lot of their offensive line, having just traded Trent Brown to the New England Patriots last week.

Rodney Hudson had been with the Raiders since 2015, making three Pro Bowls during that time (2016, 2017, 2019) and making Second-Team All-Pro in 2019 as well. As Rapoport notes, he will be immediately coveted.

Corey Linsley was arguably the best center available, but he already agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Chargers. With Linsley off the board and Hudson now available, he catapults to the top of the list at the position.

According to reports, the Raiders actually take a cap hit with the release, making the move even more bizarre on the surface.

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A second-round draft pick back in 2011, Rodney Hudson started his career in Kansas City with the Chiefs before ending up with the Raiders. He is widely regarded, even at the age of 32, as one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the game. And he has the numbers to back it up.

There might be more to this decision made by the Raiders; there almost has to be. Why else would they release one of the best centers in the game and take a cap hit while doing so? It will be interesting to see if the Raiders comment on his release or just give the typical statement about thanking him for his time while he was on the team.

One thing that is for sure, Rodney Hudson will not be available for long.