Arizona Cardinals designate C Rodney Hudson to return from IR

The Arizona Cardinals designated starting center Rodney Hudson to return from the injured reserve list on Tuesday.

Additionally, the team signed defensive lineman Matt Dickerson and linebacker Tahir Whitehead to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Koda Martin and tight end Ross Travis.

Hudson can re-join the team at practice and is eligible to be activated at any time over the next three weeks or at the conclusion of 21 days.

The starting center missed the Cardinals’ last three games after going down with rib and shoulder injuries in the team’s 17-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.

“Having Rodney back, we have another old head … at the line of scrimmage,” offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum said Tuesday. “Having him back is going to be fun, (I) know that injury is not something to play with. … It’s something as simple as getting back in his stance again. When you have to compress your body and contort you body to be able to get into your stance is something I struggled with coming back from that injury, and I know that’s something that he has to deal with his hand over the ball every single play.

“We’ve talked about it. I’m a little bit further along in this process, coming back from this, than he is. I’m giving him insight what I felt, I’m asking what he felt. … We’ve been leaning on each other a lot.”

In place of Hudson was originally backup Max Garcia, who started two games at center with the starter sidelined. Garcia, however, went down with an injury that knocked him out of last week’s contest against the Green Bay Packers, making way for third-stringer Sean Harlow.

Dickerson got his NFL start with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2018. In three seasons with the Titans, the lineman recorded 15 tackles, one of which was for a loss.

Whitehead has spent time with the Detroit Lions (2012-17), Las Vegas Raiders (2018-19) and Carolina Panthers (2020) over his nine-year career. In 14 games (10 starts) with Carolina last season, Whitehead had 51 tackles, an interception, one fumble recovery and one QB hit.

The Cardinals take on the 49ers on Sunday at 2:25 p.m. Catch all the action at 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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