The departure of the three-time Pro Bowler would follow the trade of offensive tackle Trent Brown to the New England Patriots.
Rapoport and ESPN's Field Yates speculated Hudson may not have to wait long to get calls from other teams:
Rodney Hudson will be immediately coveted. The #AZCardinals have been on the hunt for a center. That would make a lot of sense. https://t.co/eFKd2XXFJt
The Los Angeles Chargers struck an agreement with Corey Linsley on a five-year, $62.5 million contract, per NFL Network'sMike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero. That took the best center off the board in free agency, and now Hudson suddenly becomes available.
Mentioned how there'd be out-of-nowhere cuts of high-quality linemen this free-agency period in particular.
Rodney Hudson is a gift from offensive-line heaven for a contending team. #Seahawks suddenly have a new option to consider at center. How much can they/are willing to pay?
The NFL's salary cap is falling from $198.2 million in 2020 to $182.5 million in 2021, forcing teams around the league to make difficult cuts for financial purposes.
Were the Raiders to designate Hudson as a post-June 1 cut, they'd have to absorb $7.2 million in dead money in 2021 and $8.4 million in 2022, perSpotrac. However, Las Vegas would save $6.4 million in cap space for the upcoming season.
Still, many will question whether that savings is worth losing him.
Rodney Hudson being released is easily the most shocking thing that has happened in free agency so far.
From @ESPNStatsInfo: Over the last 4 years, Rodney Hudson has the third highest Pass Block Win Rate among NFL centers in the NFL, sustaining 95.0% of his pass blocks for at least 2.5 seconds. His PBWR last year was 93.7%, slightly below his average in that span but still 15th. https://t.co/cD0yJw6pU3
Head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock apparently want to start with a clean slate when it comes to the offensive line. Hudson is the third starting lineman gone following the trade of Brown and thereleaseof Gabe Jackson.
Improving the unit made sense this offseason, but that level of turnover could be counterproductive, especially considering Hudson in particular has continued to play at a high level.
Raiders' Updated Depth Chart, Salary Cap After Reported Yannick Ngakoue Contract
Mar 15, 2021
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
The Las Vegas Raiders have beefed up their defensive line with the addition of Yannick Ngakoue, who joined the team on a two-year, $26 million deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
His presence will be a major boost for a Raiders defense that struggled through 2020. Here's a look at what the defensive unit could look like, both physically and financially, with his addition:
RCB: Trayvon Mullen, Amik Robertson, Keisean Nixon, Kemah Siverand
The Raiders entered free agency with $12.25 million in cap space, according to ESPN'sField Yates. That was before they dealt offensive tackle Trent Brown to the New England Patriots, clearing his $14 million cap hit off the books for the upcoming season. Then, they restructured a pair of linebacker contracts to clear $7.1 million.
That gave them $38 million to work with under the 2021 salary cap before Ngakoue's deal, according to Spotrac.
Ngakoue never hit his stride with the Ravens, with just 11 tackles and three quarterback hits in nine appearances. But the Maryland product has been a consistent piece in each of his other seasons in the NFL.
He posted at least eight sacks in each of his five seasons in the league, becoming just the fourth player to do so dating back to 1982, when sacks were first recognized as an NFL stat, according to ESPN. He'll factor in as an instant contributor in a defense ranked 29th in the league in sacks while giving quarterbacks the fourth-longest amount of time to hang on to the ball before a pass, per ESPN.
Ngakoue, who will turn 26 on March 31, will provide an immediate boost to Gus Bradley's first go as defensive coordinator in Las Vegas, especially since there's familiarity between the two that dates back to Ngakoue's time in Jacksonville.
Yannick Ngakoue Rumors: Ex-Ravens DE, Raiders Agree to 2-Year, $26M Contract
Mar 15, 2021
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) looks on during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Yannick Ngakoue will look for a fresh start, as the free-agent pass-rusher reportedly agreed to a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ngakoue and the Raiders came to terms on a two-year, $26 million contract on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Albert Breer of the MMQB noted only the first year of the deal is fully guaranteed:
New Raiders DE Yannick Ngakoue’s two-year, $26 million deal has just this year’s $13 million base fully guaranteed. $5 million of next year’s $13 million is injury guaranteed, and that doesn’t vest until 2022.
It was a whirlwind 2020 for the one-time Pro Bowler, who received a franchise tag with the Jacksonville Jaguars but couldn't sign a long-term deal. He initially held out before rejoining the team for training camp, finally getting his wish with a trade to the Minnesota Vikings in August.
However, Ngakouelasted just six games in Minnesota before he was traded again to the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite the constant movement, the Maryland product remained effective on the field with eight sacks and four forced fumbles, continuing the production we have seen throughout his NFL career.
The 2016 third-round pick has at least eight sacks and four forced fumbles in four of his five professional seasons, totaling 45.5 sacks in this span.
In 2017, he tallied 12 sacks as a key part of a Jaguars squad that ranked second in points allowed and reached the AFC Championship Game.
The Raiders are hoping Ngakoue can have a similar impact in his new location, continuing to cause havoc for opposing quarterbacks.
While this will be his fourth team in three seasons, this new deal could give him some comfort going forward in his career.
Raiders Rumors: Patrick Peterson, Richard Sherman, Xavier Rhodes Linked to Vegas
Mar 14, 2021
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) following an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
The Las Vegas Raiders are rumored to be looking for "an established vet corner" this offseason, and three candidates have cropped up as possibilities, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler.
Patrick Peterson, Richard Sherman and Xavier Rhodes were three free agents linked to the Raiders in the pair's report Sunday.
Peterson, an eight-time Pro Bowler who has been with the Arizona Cardinals since 2011, allowed passers to grab 67.1 percent of balls under his coverage, giving up five touchdowns. He also tacked on three interceptions. But the 30-year-old missed the Pro Bowl for the second straight year after he earned the nod in each of his first eight seasons in the NFL.
One of the biggest names in the league since he joined the Seattle Seahawks as a fifth-round pick out of Stanford in 2011, Sherman is coming off of his third season in San Francisco, though he only appeared in five games because of injuries. A better measure of his performance would be to look at his 2019 campaign, when he earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection with three interceptions and a 62.3 completion percentage, allowing just one touchdown under his coverage.
As for Rhodes, who joined the Indianapolis Colts after a Pro Bowl season in 2019—what would be his final season with the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him with the No. 25 pick out of Florida State in 2013—he delivered a one-year deal.
While he missed out on his fourth Pro Bowl selection, he allowed receivers to complete just 51.9 percent of passes under his coverage, which is better than nearly every cornerback that did earn a selection to the game (h/tJimAyelloof theIndianapolis Star).
Any of the three would be an upgrade for the Raiders, who were one of the league's worst passing defenses in 2020, allowing a seventh-most 263.3 passing yards per game. Nicholas Morrow, who had a 67.7 completion percentage against him with three touchdowns at the position in 2020, is a free agent, as is Nevin Lawson (67.2 completion percentage, five touchdowns in 2020).
The Las Vegas Raiders have been working hard to restructure deals to create more cap space. And they've been successful in doing so. With the NFL's salary cap for 2021 set at $182...
Raiders Rumors: Ex-Cowboys, Bears S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Visits with Las Vegas
Mar 12, 2021
This is a 2020 photo of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix of the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team. This image reflects the Dallas Cowboys active roster as of Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly could be adding veteran help in their secondary.
There was a time when adding Clinton-Dix would have been a major move for the Raiders or any team.
The Packers selected him with a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, and he was a Pro Bowler in his third season with 80 tackles, five interceptions and seven passes defended. He also posted 100 tackles in his second season and 93 tackles in 2018 while splitting time between Green Bay and Washington.
However, he is coming off a missed season and may have to work through some rust wherever he signs.
Fortunately for the Raiders or any other interested team, he is just 28 years old and was effective in 2019 for the Bears with an overall player grade of 74.2 fromPro Football Focus. He may not be the same player he was as a Pro Bowler in his prime on the Packers, but a similar season to his 2019 effort would be welcome in Las Vegas.
After all, the Raiders have to deal with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West and could use veteran depth and leadership in the secondary.
They need to make strides after finishing 26th in the league in passing yards allowed per game in 2020, and Clinton-Dix could be a stabilizing force at the backend of the secondary all while coming up to help stop the run.
Raiders Rumors: A.J. Bouye Leaves Las Vegas Visit Without Free-Agent Contract
Mar 11, 2021
Denver Broncos cornerback A.J. Bouye (21) against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Free-agent cornerback A.J. Bouye's visit with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday did not end with the two sides coming to a deal, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
Tafur clarified that Bouye and Las Vegas could still agree to terms but that it hasn't happened yet.
Bouye has played eight seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos. The undrafted UCF product's best season occurred in 2017, when he posted six interceptions and 18 passes defended for the Jags in his only Pro Bowl campaign. The year before, Bouye finished third among all cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus' grading system.
The end of Bouye's Jacksonville tenure did not go as well. He allowed 65.2 percent of targets in his direction to be completed for 9.3 yards per target and 14.3 yards per completion in 2019, per Pro Football Reference. He also allowed a 101.5 passer rating when targeted.
The Jags traded Bouye to Denver in March 2020 for a fourth-round draft pick. He played seven games in Denver, amassing 23 tackles and six passes defended.
Bouye was also suspended six games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, per a league statement. He sat the final four contests of the 2020 season, and two games remain on that suspension.
Mike Klis of 9News provided more context on the suspension.
Broncos CB AJ Bouye is facing suspension for performance enhancing supplement per source. Connected to Will Fuller/Bradley Roby situation from last week I’m told. #9sports
Bouye ranks No. 109 in PFF's list of the top 200 free agents this year and 22nd among cornerbacks. PFF.com wrote the following on the veteran:
"Bouye is a few years removed from his best seasons as he ranked as one of the league's best corners in 2016 and 2017 before posting a solid 75.7 grade in 2018. He's graded in the 50s in each of the last two seasons, making him a reclamation project at this point in his career. Bouye has man coverage skills on the outside, and he's a high upside play if a team can get him back to his previous level of play."
The Raiders are looking to improve a defense that finished 28th in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) last year, per Football Outsiders. Las Vegas also allowed the third-most points per game in the NFL.
Las Vegas has already starting to make changes in the secondary, with the team releasing defensive back Lamarcus Joyner.
The Raiders have some salary-cap room to work with as of now. Per Over the Cap, Las Vegas has just under $18 million in cap room (17th-most in the league) as of Thursday evening.
Ultimately, Bouye could be a low-risk, high-reward free agent if a team is able to land him on a short-term deal. If he's able to return anywhere close to his 2016 and 2017 Jags form, then his eventual team could be getting a steal. Perhaps that team is the Raiders, although that's not the case as of now.
Raiders' Poor Return on Drafts, Free Agents Raises Major Concerns About Gruden
Mar 11, 2021
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
The sky isn't falling over Allegiant Stadium, where the Las Vegas Raiders call home. Yet the Silver and Black's 2021 forecast has a potential storm brewing on the horizon.
Every year, fans want to see their teams exhibit notable improvements, leading to tangible results, a winning record, a playoff berth and ultimately a shot to win the Super Bowl.
Three years into head coach Jon Gruden's tenure, the Raiders are still hoping to finish above .500. He has the odds stacked against him while trying to will the team back to the postseason, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press:
82 coaches hired since 2000 lasted 3+ full seasons. 61 made the playoffs in the 1st three seasons, Gruden is the 21st not to. The only one of those to eventually make the playoffs was Jason Garrett, who did it in 4th season with Cowboys
As the shot-caller and team architect, Gruden deserves much of the blame for the Raiders' slow rebuild. In 2019, Mike Mayock accepted the general manager position but told ESPN's Steve Levy he ultimately answers to the Raiders skipper:
We cannot completely discount Mayock's voice behind the scenes. With that said, Gruden—the chief decision-maker, head coach and offensive play-caller—has the final say, which is expected given his 10-year, $100 million contract.
Gruden's level of power over the franchise has become a bigger issue than any of the team's statistical shortcomings because he sets the stage. He's struggled to foster an environment for growth and development.
Gruden and former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie's 2018 draft class flopped with the exception of left tackle Kolton Miller and Maurice Hurst, a rotational defensive tackle. They traded a third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wideout Martavis Bryant, and that move amounted to nothing. He caught 19 passes for 266 yards in one season with the club.
That same year, the Raiders traded two of their best players in edge-rusher Khalil Mack and wide receiver Amari Cooper. They went on to perform at All-Pro and Pro Bowl levels for the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.
Gruden found a playmaking gem at the end of the campaign, plucking tight end Darren Waller from the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. He has the Raiders' single-season reception record (107), topping Hall of Fame wideout Tim Brown (104) in 2020.
Wide receiver Antonio Brown
Going into the 2019 offseason, the Raiders organization had an aura of optimism, equipped with three first-round picks after trading Mack and Cooper. They also acquired wideout Antonio Brown, but he never played a down for the team and celebrated his release.
Despite the offseason chaos around Brown, the Raiders saw some hope in a promising 2019 draft class with consistent contributors from Rounds 1 to 5, including Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, Trayvon Mullen, Maxx Crosby, Foster Moreau and Hunter Renfrow.
In 2020, Jacobs earned a Pro Bowl nod, but collectively, the Raiders' talented group of second-year pros didn't see significant growth. Some of them took a small step back.
Ferrell recorded 21 quarterback pressures and logged two sacks. In between bouts with COVID-19 and a shoulder injury, the Clemson product flashed in moments few and far between. He brings more impact as a run-stopper than a pass-rusher, which isn't ideal for a top-five draft pick.
Mullen recorded 14 pass breakups and two interceptions, but he allowed a 93.1 passer rating in coverage, regressing from 78.3 in his rookie term. The starting cornerback also allowed a 62.1 percent completion rate, slightly worse than the 55.9 percent he yielded in 2019.
Maxx Crosby played through a torn labrum and a broken metal plate in his hand, which likely affected his impact in the second half of the season. He still recorded seven sacks and 32 quarterback pressures for the year.
Moreau took a backseat to tight end Jason Witten, who retired this offseason. The LSU product bounced back from a torn ACL and played 88 fewer total snaps than he did as a rookie. Gruden should've found a way to use him inside the opponent's 20-yard line—his offense ranked 23rd in red-zone scoring.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III
Meanwhile, the 2020 class didn't bring much pop to Las Vegas.
Henry Ruggs III, the first wideout off the draft board last April, ranked 11th in receptions (26) and ninth in receiving yards (452) among first-year receivers (h/t StatMuse).
In nine games, fellow first-rounder Damon Arnette struggled in coverage, allowing 25 catches on 32 targets and a 106.9 passer rating.
The Raiders traded third-rounder Lynn Bowden Jr. to the Miami Dolphins before Week 1.
Multiple rookies battled injuries and COVID-19, but Mayock expressed his dissatisfaction with the group's overall performance.
"I was disappointed in the productivity of our rookies," Mayock said. "I'll be the first one to admit that."
While the Raiders rookies went through growing pains, they couldn't depend on their free-agent class, which has become a trending problem under Gruden.
Based on guaranteed money, take a look at the two highest-paid veteran acquisitions each year since 2018, per Spotrac.
Among those signings, Brown is the only one who earned a Pro Bowl nod with the team, and Vegas agreed to trade him to the New England Patriots, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, the Raiders had questions about Brown's work ethic after he tipped the scales at 400 pounds last year.
For two years, Joyner seemed like a miscast slot cornerback after a couple of solid terms as a safety for the Los Angeles Rams. Littleton didn't show positive signs until the end of the 2020 campaign. The coaching staff benched Nassib as a healthy scratch in consecutive games.
Former Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther (left) and head coach Jon Gruden
Gruden hired Gus Bradley to replace former defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, and the new play-caller has to coach up and fill holes at all three levels of the unit.
Gruden assembled a staff that fielded the worst defenses in franchise history, setting new marks for points allowed in a single season in two of the last three years. In 2020, he watched opposing offenses gash his team for 14 weeks before firing Guenther, who's also his friend.
We can point to the Raiders' porous defense or an offensive line that may undergo significant changes as the team's primary focus this offseason, but both issues are symptoms of Gruden's staff- and roster-building decisions.
Now, Gruden has to clean up free-agent whiffs via roster cuts and trades and spend more money on veterans to compensate for the sluggish development of his recent draft classes in hopes that he made the right hire in Bradley.
The Raiders should be further along in their fourth year under Gruden. As fans clamor for a resurgence in Las Vegas, owner Mark Davis needs to apply pressure to the main man in charge.
Raiders' Josh Jacobs Pays Fine, Completes Community Service After January Crash
Mar 8, 2021
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) in the first second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A traffic case stemming from a single-car crash involving Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs was closed Monday.
The Associated Press reported the news, noting his lawyers said it was closed after Jacobs paid a $500 fine for a failure to exercise due care traffic violation and completed community service by mentoring at a Boys & Girls Club.
Greg Haas of 8 News Now in Las Vegas reported on the crash in January, noting Jacobs needed a number of stitches for a cut on his forehead after he hit a wall of a McCarran International Airport tunnel when his car skidded approximately 320 feet.
The running back told police he thought the crash happened because he fell asleep and lost control of the car.
According to the AP, the driving under the influence charge was eventually dropped because Jacobs' blood-alcohol level did not reach the 0.08 percent level.
The Raiders selected Jacobs with a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, and he played his first two seasons for the team. He made the Pro Bowl during the 2020 campaign behind 1,065 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Raiders Rumors: Lamarcus Joyner to Be Released; Was Set to Make $9.95M
Mar 8, 2021
Las Vegas Raiders safety Lamarcus Joyner (29) smiles as he walks off the field after a 32-31 win against the Denver Broncos in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan.. 3, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Justin Edmonds)
Joyner would have made $9.95 million for the 2021 season.
Joyner isn't the first player that the Raiders have moved on from in recent days—Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito werereportedly released last week as the team attempts to better its salary cap situation. Before dropping the trio of players,Paul Gutierrezof ESPN reported that the Raiders would be between $17 million and $22 million over the cap.
With Joyner's release saving the team nearly $10 million and Jackson and Incognito combining to save them more than $15 million, they're certainly in better shape heading into the final week of the league year.
Through 14 games, he had five pass breakups and 66 combined tackles, with six for loss. The Florida State product never quite found his stride with the Raiders, but he had more success through his five years with the Rams franchise and figures to be a solid piece of the defensive line for a team that could use veteran depth.
Joyner's absence will leave the team with Trayvon Mullen at the position. Mullen, a significantly cheaper option who carries a $2 million cap hit entering the third year of his rookie deal, had two interceptions and 14 passes defended in 2020, with 64 combined tackles.
