The Indianapolis Colts added some veteran depth to the cornerback room on Thursday as they are expected to sign Xavier Rhodes to a one-year deal.
After parting ways with Pierre Desir, now with the New York Jets, the Colts needed to find some depth to work on the boundary. There were other options on the market such as Logan Ryan and Prince Amukamara, but the Colts feel a rebound is in order for Rhodes.
Here are five things to know about the Colts’ new cornerback:
Florida State product
Rhodes enjoyed a stellar college career with the Seminoles. In his three seasons, Rhodes recorded eight interceptions and 31 passes defended across 43 career games. He was a First-Team All-ACC selection in 2012 and the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010.
Rhodes also had a solid showing at the NFL Combine during his draft year in 2013 where he measured with a 33 3/4″ inch arm length, a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash and a 40 1/2″ inch vertical jump. That along with his production in college made him a clear first-round pick.
First-round pick
The Vikings used the No. 25 overall pick on Rhodes, bringing him in using a pick they acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for wide receiver Percy Harvin. Rhodes was the fourth cornerback selected in the draft behind Dee Milliner, D.J. Hayden and Desmond Trufant.
It took a few games before Rhodes became a starter. He started only six games during his rookie season working mostly as the third cornerback in nickel packages. But after his first season, Rhodes wound up being a key piece in the Vikings defense.
All-Pro with the Vikings
Rhodes had a productive career with the Vikings and one of his seasons turned into an All-Pro campaign. In 2017, Rhodes recorded two interceptions and 10 passes defended en route to an All-Pro campaign. Those numbers might not look impressive at face value but they don’t tell the whole story.
According to Pro Football Focus, Rhodes allowed just a 55.1% completion percentage and a 77.4 passer rating during the 2017 season. Rhodes also was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Vikings (2016–2017, 2019).
Down year
Despite being named a Pro Bowler in 2019, Rhodes struggled for the Vikings. It eventually led to his release in March, but the Colts are hoping for a bounce-back season from the veteran. Dealing with injuries, Rhodes allowed a 131.1 passer rating when targeted and five touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus.
The Colts are hoping Rhodes can bounce back and the fact that he will be working more in zone coverage rather than being left on an island in man coverage should help his production. It’s a risk, but the Colts are hoping Rhodes can bounce back from a strong season.
Role with the Colts
Because it is still March, it isn’t clear how the Colts view Rhodes. Is he a locked-in starter on the boundary? If they draft a cornerback at No. 34, will that rookie have a chance to compete for a starting role with Rhodes by the time the season rolls around? These questions are impossible to answer.
But given his contract is expected to be around $5 million for the 2020 season, it is likely that Rhodes will be one of the starters on the boundary across from Rock Ya-Sin to begin the 2020 season while Kenny Moore works in the slot.
