Opportunity knocks for recently arrived Billy Price at center for Arizona Cardinals
For the third straight week, recently acquired center Billy Price will be manning the middle of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line for veteran Rodney Hudson, who has been dealing with a nagging knee issue most of the season.
As thankful as he is for getting another chance to start Sunday against the visiting Seattle Seahawks in a critical NFL West showdown, Price made it clear that he’s only keeping the seat warm until Hudson returns.
“I’m taking it week to week, but this is Rodney’s room. Rodney is the center,” Price said. “That man is so talented and is absolutely brilliant in what he’s been able to do across the league. So if today he said he wants to go, he’s taking over. I understand my role.”
So far, Price has been everything the Cardinals expected he would be when they signed him off the Raiders’ practice squad on Oct. 4. Outside of a botched snap last week against the Vikings because of a communication problem, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Price has been a reliable replacement.
“I think things are good. I really, really do,” Price said when asked how the chemistry has gone so far with himself and quarterback Kyler Murray. “I’ve gone through two playbooks in six weeks and I think for what this is, I think it’s really good. I’m just trying to absorb things and make things what he needs and what he wants, happen.”
The former first-round pick out of Ohio State in 2018 had been on Arizona’s radar for some time and at least twice, the team tried to sign him as a free agent. Price wanted to make sure it was the right kind of opportunity, and eventually, it was.
“You’ve got an All-Pro and first-ballot Hall of Fame center over there, it’s not really going to happen,” Price said, referring to Hudson. “But would you rather sit on the ‘P’ squad, or would you rather have an opportunity to come and play? This league presents different opportunities, and it has a way of figuring itself out.
“Timing is everything.”
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Hudson has missed five games total this year after seriously contemplating retirement in the offseason. He’s under contract through 2023 but his future status with the Cardinals is uncertain given everything involved. Coach Kliff Kingsbury was hopeful Hudson would be available to solidify the line as he did a year ago in his debut season with the club.
“Yeah, it’s tough. I’m disappointed for him and obviously for us,” Kingsbury said. “He’s a coach on the field for everybody. We’ve had to rotate through some guys in that line. I think Billy’s done an admirable job since he’s got here, picking it up and executing, but (Hudson) is a Pro Bowl-type caliber player that is a great leader and a great player. Hopefully at some point we get him back.”
So does Murray.
“I’m more so just worried for him,” the quarterback said. “I know how much he loves the game and how much he wants to be out there. To not be able to be out there and not be able to give the team what he brings to the table, I know how much it kills him. I’m fine with Billy being out there, but would love to have Rodney obviously, but he’s got to get his health right and his mental.”
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Injury update
The Cardinals hope to have left tackle D.J. Humphries, running back James Conner and safety Budda Baker available to play Sunday. The three former Pro Bowlers all took part in Friday's practice on a limited basis.
Kingsbury said it will come down to a gameday decision as to whether they will play. Humphries would help an offensive line that missed three starters, including him, last week in Minnesota. Conner has been out several weeks with a ribs injury and Baker (ankle) has played in every game this season.
All three are questionable to play.
Kingsbury said wide receiver Hollywood Brown is week to week as he works his way back from a foot injury. Linebacker Dennis Gardeck (ankle) is questionable.
Offensive linemen Rodney Hudson and Max Garcia and cornerback Christian Matthew have been ruled out of Sunday's game.
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New guy
Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, whom the Cardinals signed earlier this week after he was released by the Houston Texans, said things have gone well as he gets accustomed to a new city and new team.
He said that he wanted to be in Arizona after he let go toward the end of last month. It's a shorter flight to his offseason home in Hawaii.
"That was kind of the only plan, in my eyes, was to try and make it work somewhere," Grugier-Hill said.
Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals' Billy Price finding chemistry with Kyler Murray
