The Minnesota Vikings made headlines when they opted to release cornerback Xavier Rhodes this offseason. It did not take him very long to find a new home with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.
Rhodes' unceremonious departure from Minnesota was preceded by a few years of decline. Regardless, general manager Chris Ballard feels he still has plenty left in the tank,
via Jack White of the Vikings Wire:
“He is only 29 years old. He’s got some unique traits and we think we can get him back to playing at that level. I think he is pretty hungry,” Ballard said Friday on a conference call. “I think being released by Minnesota sparked a fire in him. It’s fun, it is going to be fun to watch him play with a chip on his shoulder. I think he can still be a high performer for us.”
The Colts added some quality depth to their secondary with the addition of Rhodes and T.J. Carrie in free agency. Their presence should help pay huge dividends for this talented, young group that spent the 2019 campaign trying to find its footing.
Rhodes' experience and status as a Pro Bowl-caliber player should help to serve as a stabilizing factor. After all, he is just two seasons removed from a 2017 campaign that saw him register 56 combined tackles, ten pass deflections, and two interceptions en route to first-team All-Pro honors.
Despite the eventual fallout within the Vikings defense, Ballard is confident that the change of scenery could be just what he needs to spark a potential resurgence in the 2020 NFL season.
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