Cardinals acquiring Rodney Hudson ensures contention for division title

The Cardinals are a team on the rise, and adding a player like Rodney Hudson only ensures their continued progression towards success. 

For much of his career, Raiders center Rodney Hudson was among the league’s elite at that position, and now he will take his talents to the desert. The former Raider has been traded to the Cardinals along with a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a third-round pick, as told by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Earlier in the day, Schefter also reported that the team agreed to a one-year deal with wide receiver A.J. Green. In addition to the move for Green, this move is simply another example of the team doing what they can to win now while also enhancing quarterback Kyler Murray’s progression. Plus, it addresses a key issue for the Cardinals among their offensive line.

While the line wasn’t among the worst in the league, it certainly needed a boost as it regressed down the stretch, as did the team, culminating with missing the playoffs in the last week of the season. With Hudson’s leadership on the line, that situation is unlikely to re-occur.

Rodney Hudson has a résume of leadership and intensity essential to a team’s growth like the Cardinals.

Earlier in the offseason, before Arizona traded for Rodney Hudson, the franchise signed one of the game’s greatest players in defensive end J.J. Watt. Before this season, the franchise traded for DeAndre Hopkins and drafted Isaiah Simmons. What to make of all this? The Cardinals are going for not just the division but respect.

After winning the division in 2015 and reaching the conference championship game, the Cardinals have often dwelled in the NFC West’s cellar. Drafting Murray was a step in the right direction, and having Larry Fitzgerald’s presence helped, but he’s not getting any younger. The time to win is now.

The Arizona Cardinals are clearly not afraid to make a move, and now they have added players to help them contend. The 49ers and Rams are not going anywhere and what happens to Seattle remains to be seen. The Cardinals have an arsenal, and maybe, just maybe, they can take that next step and make a move.