Mike Zimmer on Xavier Rhodes: ‘I’m going to make sure he plays better’

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer wasn’t shy about how he felt about the play of cornerback Xavier Rhodes last season.

Zimmer, per The Athletic’s Chad Graff, says that Rhodes needs to play better and “needs to play up to that contract.”

Mike Zimmer on Xavier Rhodes: "Xavier needs to play better. I’m going to make sure he plays better. … I just don’t think he played as well as he can play. He needs to play up to his ability level. We’re paying him a lot of money. He needs to play up to that contract."

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) March 26, 2019

Well, that’s what we call “shots fired” in the business.

Rhodes is just a year removed from being named an All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl team for the second-consecutive season. But 2018 was a disappointment for the 28-year-old corner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Rhodes finished with a grade of 58.2, a mark that ranked 101 out of 112 graded corners.

That is the opposite of “Rhodes Closed.”

Rhodes made $10.9 million last season and will make the same in 2019. That’s too much money for an average to below average player.

We know that Rhodes is capable of much more, though, and it’s actually kind of refreshing that his coach isn’t sugarcoating that.