Raiders get draft compensation for Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson
The Raiders ended up getting something in exchange for center Rodney Hudson and guard Gabe Jackson after all.
Hudson, initially reported to be released, was traded to the Arizona Cardinals Wednesday in advance of the new league year for a significant swap of draft picks. The Raiders will receive Arizona’s third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, while the Cardinals get one of the NFL’S top centers and the Raiders’ seventh-round pick.
Jackson, whose exit was reported as a pending release two weeks ago, was reportedly dealt to the Seattle Seahawks for a fifth-round draft pick. A team source confirmed the trade.
Originally reported by NFL Media, the Cardinals confirmed the Hudson trade on the day where all teams had to be compliant with the $182.5 million salary cap and players were eligible to be signed as free agents following a two-day period where terms could be negotiated but not finalized. The Jackson trade was first reported by NFL Media and confirmed by a team source.
It amounts to a save for the Raiders in the eyes of their fan base which expressed its dismay on social media over the thought of Hudson allowed to negotiate a new deal with no compensation. The same was true for Jackson, who was due $9.6 million in salary and reportedly balked at taking a pay cut.
Hudson is due $9.55 million in salary in 2021 has been one of the most productive and respected members of the Raiders since his arrival in free agency in 2015.
Bringing in a third-round pick gives the Raiders picks No. 79 and 80 in that round, and the opportunity to add a starter-quality or significant contributor at the cost of one of the NFL’S top centers — a big difference from Hudson walking away with nothing in return.
Of course, that will be incumbent upon the Raiders capitalizing in a round where they got very little last season when they had three picks in the third round. Running back Lynn Bowden Jr. was traded to Miami for a fourth-round pick after a poor training camp, wide receiver Bryan Edwards played sparingly because of injury and linebacker Tanner Muse spent the season on injured reserve and spent the year transitioning from safety.
Fifth-round draft picks, which is what the Raiders will receive for Jackson, are obviously hit and miss, although slot receiver Hunter Renfrow was a fifth-round draft pick as was defensive tackle Maurice Hurst.
Whether by trade or release, Hudson’s departure will have an effect on the Raiders’ salary cap. By virtue of a contract negotiation a year ago, Hudson’s exit will cost the Raiders about $2 million in salary cap space and create $15.6 in dead money in terms of bonus acceleration.
Once Jackson’s departure is made official, it his entire salary is cleared from the books in terms of salary cap space and actual cash since his contract wasn’t renegotiated after signing a five-year contract extension in 2017.l
In a sense, the Raiders have dealt two established offensive linemen for the seemingly paltry sum of third- and fifth-round draft picks. But considering that it appeared they would get nothing for both — and that both could be considered descending players in the cold, cruel world of the NFL — it looks a lot better than it did a day ago.
Salary cap implications aside, the Raiders fared much better in the Osemele deal than in their 2019 trade of guard Kelechi Osemele, when they dealt one of their starting guards and a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Although Hudson and Jackson each had only one winning season with the Raiders in 2016, the association with the franchise was lucrative for both players. Hudson made more than $68 million with the Raiders since signing in 2015 and Jackson, part of the Raiders 2014 draft class that included Derek Carr and Khalil Mack,, made just short of $60 million.