The Oakland Raiders made a big move in free agency this past off-season when they signed center Rodney Hudson, effectively turning a position of doubt into one of strength over night. Hudson comes to Oakland with a Pro Bowl caliber game and was easily the best Kansas City Chief lineman on the roster in 2014. What happens if Hudson can’t suit up at some point this season? Are the Raiders prepared to play without him?
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The current depth chart that just about any pro football related website puts out shows Hudson as the only true center on the Raiders roster. Sites like ourlads.com, profootballfocus.com and cbssports.com all agree: Rodney Hudson is it when it comes to Oakland’s center position. And they aren’t wrong; No other player on the Raiders current roster has played a snap at center in an NFL game.
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Currently, Oakland has experimented with Raiders rookie guard Jon Feliciano at center during mini camp, and back up guard Lamar Mady has played some center in college. Tony Bergstrom, a player sitting firmly on the roster bubble, might have a shot at making the team if he can show some versatility and play center in an emergency.
None of these options can be considered ideal, and Oakland will undoubtedly be looking at camp cuts from other teams as potential depth for the position, even if one of these younger guards shows they can play center adequately. The good news is that Hudson’s playing history shows that he is durable; Since he became the full-time starter for the Chiefs at the start of 2013 he hasn’t missed a game. But Murphy’s law seems to strike when no one is looking.
Believe it or not, there are also players out there in free agency that are still viable choices as centers, albeit with different risks associated with each one.
Former Chicago Bears center Brian De La Puente, ranked as the 7th overall center in 2014 by Pro Football Focus, is a veteran center not signed yet. He has injury history of his own, but could be a low-cost pick-up after training camp. Doug Legursky and Rich Ohrnberger both played center for the Chargers in 2014, and while not ideal starters have much more experience than any other of Oakland’s current choices.
What happens if Hudson can’t suit up at some point this season? Are the Raiders prepared to play without him?
With all of the money and effort that Oakland has invested in turning the team around as quickly as possible, it would be a huge let down if the anchor of their offensive scheme and line were to be a rotating “experiment” during the season. The bottom line is that head coach Jack Del Rio needs to take an honest look at his team once training camp starts. If there is any real doubt in his center depth he must quickly make a move to shore it.
No one player makes or breaks an NFL team, if the team is built correctly. As with most teams, the Oakland Raider starters will be the reason the team wins or loses, but their back-up’s will inevitably make a difference as well at some point in the season.
If Oakland is lucky that won’t be because a player goes down from injury, but rather a role player steps up to be an unexpected stand out. They just can’t count on that, however, and must get some quality depth for their center spot.
Next: Who will start at TE for the Raiders?
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