Mike Mayock explains why Raiders locked up ‘glue guy' Rodney Hudson

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The Raiders let so many players go over the last two days in trimming the roster to 53, but the news delivered by Silver and Black brass wasn’t all bad.

They rewarded one of their own on Friday, giving a three-year, $33.75 million contract to elite center Rodney Hudson.

A pact has seemed inevitable for months now, after discussions initially started this spring. Hudson wanted to stay and the Raiders didn’t want him going anywhere, so a big-money deal was signed to bind player and team together for an extended stretch.

General manager Mike Mayock explained why the Raiders were confident giving Hudson such a huge sum, one that makes him the league’s highest-paid center.

“Since I’ve been here, you start to kind of get a feel for the heart and the pulse of a locker room,” Mayock said. “You can put the tape on and I could tell you Rodney Hudson is one of the top centers in the NFL. But when you get around the guys and you get around that offensive line room -- I’m a huge believer in building the offensive line -- and you get around that group and watch what’s going on, he is the quintessential glue player. He’s a glue guy."

“He doesn’t say much publicly. He doesn’t smile too often, but when he’s with his guys, everything revolves around him. His work ethic. His toughness. We thought it was really important as we continue to develop this offensive line.”

[RELATED: Raiders 53-man roster: Examining who made 2019 NFL regular season team]

The Raiders have invested heavily up front, with most of the line locked down for a longer term.

“We brought in a new free agent tackle in Trent [Brown],” Mayock said. “We’ve got Kolton [Miller] in Year 2. We thought it was real important to keep the anchor of that line together as we head to Las Vegas a year from now. We’re excited that Rodney agreed to the contract.”

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