The Cardinals have made it no secret that they expect bigger and better things out of their starting center in 2021 and a day after losing out on the biggest and best center on the free-agent market in Corey Linsley, a surprise second option became available on Tuesday.

That happened when the Raiders released veteran Rodney Hudson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2016, 1017 and 2019. The 10-year pro, who entered the NFL with the Chiefs in 2011 as a second-round pick out of Florida State, has been one of the league’s better centers signing a five-year, $44 million free-agent deal with the Raiders in 2015.

During that span, he allowed just three sacks in 3,445 pass-blocking snaps and his pass-blocking grade of 93.6 by ProFootballFocus ranks first among all centers.

Linsley, considered the No. 1 center among unrestricted free agents, leaves the Packers for the Chargers. His five-year deal worth a reported $62.5 million makes him the league’s highest-paid center. The Cardinals are believed to have had interest in signing him to bolster a position that last year was manned by Mason Cole and Lamont Gaillard.

Sean Kugler, the team’s offensive line coach and new run game coordinator, recently acknowledged the Cardinals needed to get better at center.

“We’ll try to improve the competition at any position. The center position last year had its ups and downs,” Kugler said during a Zoom interview with Arizona reporters. “Both those guys at times played extremely well, both those guys struggled. I think they’ll both improve … and they need to take the accountability of improving.

“Will we try to add to that room or will we try to improve the competition? We’ll always do that. We’ll always try to look to make sure that we’ve got the best five out there and the next best five ready to go. If that means bringing somebody in, that’s not out of the possibility.”

Hudson, 31, was scheduled to earn a base salary of $9.5 million in 2021 with a workout bonus of $350,000 while carrying a cap hit of $13.6 million and a dead cap value of $15.6 million. By releasing him on Tuesday, the Raiders take on a bigger dead cap hit than keeping him would have cost.

Other centers on the free-agent market that could appeal to the Cardinals include the Chiefs’ Austin Reiter, 30, the Patriots’ David Andrews, 29, and the Dolphins’ Ted Karras, 28.

“The center position overall, I think, needs to take the next step to get better and to get better to help our offense,” Kugler said. “That starts with myself, evaluating how I’m coaching those guys. It starts with those guys individually, and if we add somebody, they’re going to be right in the mix. So, it’s going to be open competition and the best guy is going to win that job and that will play out.”

Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch. 

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