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Another possible offensive line target for the Cincinnati Bengals is now off the board.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders are trading center Rodney Hudson to the Arizona Cardinals.
However, there is one other Raiders lineman that the Bengals may have interest in, as the team is also reportedly shopping guard Gabe Jackson.
Raiders also are having trade discussions regarding Gabe Jackson, per sources. So Hudson is being traded and Jackson soon could be, too. https://t.co/VlPPSMcptq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2021
We wrote earlier about why the Bengals should pursue Hudson, though that was with the belief the Raiders were cutting him. Instead, they hung on to Hudson and managed to deal him to Arizona for a third-round pick. The Bengals have too many holes to pay Hudson $13 million in 2021 and give up a high draft pick.
As for Jackson, who turns 30 in July, he started every game at right guard last season and finished with a 63.7 Pro Football Focus grade, which would have been the highest of any Bengals starting guard in 2020.
It wasn’t that long ago when Jackson was one of the best guards in the NFL, as he finished the 2018 season with a 73.7 PFF grade. Though he probably wouldn’t be a game-changing addition, Jackson would still probably be a nice upgrade over Michael Jordan, Billy Price, Alex Redmond and/or Xavier Su’a-Filo at either guard spot.
According to Spotrac, Jackson is set to have a cap hit of $9.6 million in 2021. He was another lineman the Raiders were initially believed to be cutting, so if they’re holding on to him in hopes of making another trade, the Bengals should probably pass unless it’s just a late-round pick.
Even so, I’d say the Bengals will pass on Jackson unless he’s cut and is willing to sign a cheaper deal.