Raiders nab third-round pick from Cardinals in trade for C Rodney Hudson

Losing Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson is not a great thing, but getting something in trade might soften the blow a little bit. As of yesterday, the reports had him being released, which had the Raiders paying $12 million in dead money.

At the last minute, the Raiders were exploring trade options instead and they have found a team. The Cardinals, who will gladly snatch up Hudson and his affordable $9.5 million salary in exchange for a third-round pick.

Picking up a third-round pick is a lot better than nothing. If it’s in this draft, it’s the 80th overall pick, which means, as it happens, the Raiders will have the exact same picks in the third round they did last year — picks 80 and 81.

The difference is this time the Raiders also have a pick in the second round. Their second-round pick last year was sent to the Bears as part of the Khalil Mack trade, which was also why they had two third-round picks.

The Raiders’ seventh-round pick sent to Arizona is 248 overall.