Veteran Colts CB Xavier Rhodes Named Team's Most Improved Player in 2020 by PFF

What once looked like a promising career in Minnesota came to a sudden, crashing halt following the 2019 season when former first round cornerback Xavier Rhodes found himself without a job.

The three-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro cornerback appeared to be at a significant crossroads in his career, especially as he appeared to lose a step overall, which can be a death sentence at the position.

Knowing he needed to take a one-year, prove-it deal, Rhodes made a great decision latching on with the Indianapolis Colts and lauded defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. What transpired in his first year in Indianapolis was a career renaissance for the Florida State product.

Rhodes turned in a career year — according to Pro Football Focus grades – finishing the year with the ninth-best grade at the position with a 77.3 overall grade, per PFF.

Thanks to his career year with the Colts, PFF's Ben Linsey named the veteran cornerback the team's Most Improved Player in 2020.

"The Colts’ decision to bring in Rhodes on a one-year, $3 million deal was just about as low risk as decisions come. Rhodes was coming off two straight down seasons in Minnesota, allowing an absurd 84.3% of the passes into his coverage to be completed in the previous year. However, in his first season in Indianapolis, Rhodes allowed just 50.7% of the passes thrown his way to be caught — improving his PFF grade from 46.4 to 76.3 in the process.

"I wrote this past offseason that the Colts defense was the right environment for Rhodes to revive his career, and that’s exactly what the veteran cornerback did. Indianapolis would probably love to bring him back for another year as long as the price stays reasonable."

Now, the question regarding Rhodes is if General Manager Chris Ballard ponies up the cash to keep the veteran cornerback in the blue and white long term, or lets him walk in free agency without tying himself down to a sizeable contract.

According to Spotrac's market value prediction, the 30-year-old is projected to land a 2-year, $14.7 million contract in free agency, making him the 30th highest paid cornerback in the NFL.

Should that be the market value for Rhodes, that should be an easy decision for Ballard to make in free agency, considering how large of a role Rhodes played for the Colts' eighth-ranked defense.

Here's hoping NFL passing attacks run into more closed roads in 2021.

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