Could CB Xavier Rhodes Land with Seahawks?
Though Shaquill Griffin broke out in his third season and made the Pro Bowl last season, Seahawks general manager John Schneider admitted last month that he wasn't pleased with the overall performance of the team's secondary in 2019.
“I think just like every position, you’re constantly looking to tweak it and figure out how to get better, whether it’s at strong safety, free safety, you know? Obviously we want to get better. If I told you that we were satisfied with the performance I’d be lying. We all need to get better.”
While the organization remains encouraged by the progress of third-year cornerback Tre Flowers, with Seattle's title window wide open, would it make sense to target former All-Pro cornerback Xavier Rhodes?
Back in 2018 at the Pro Bowl, ex-Seahawk receiver Doug Baldwin was mic'd up and could be heard talking to former Vikings cornerback trying to recruit him to Seattle.
"Ain't nothing more better than Seattle, I'm telling you, telling you," Baldwin said.
According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Minnesota released Rhodes and nose tackle Linval Joseph on Friday. The moves happened only five days before the start of the free agency period on March 18 and were made primarily due to the team's horrible salary cap situation.
Per Cronin, by cutting Rhodes and Joseph, the Vikings created a significant amount of cap space between $18.5 million and $22.25 million.
Rhodes, 29, was selected in the first round in the 2013 draft and would go on to sign a five-year, $70 million extension ahead of the 2017 season. After struggling a bit in his first three NFL seasons, he earned First-Team All-Pro distinction in 2017 and made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2016 and 2017.
During those two seasons, Rhodes picked off six passes, including a 100-yard pick-six, and produced 108 tackles and 21 passes defensed.
A series of hamstring, foot, and groin injuries hindered Rhodes in 2018, leading to a decline in his efficiency on the field. Before the 2019 season, Rhodes' now-former coach Mike Zimmer stated he needed to "play up to that contract," while dismissing the notion he lost a step.
Unfortunately, though he made the Pro Bowl for a third time based on name alone, Rhodes endured his toughest season as an NFL defender last season. He allowed 791 receiving yards and four touchdowns in coverage as quarterbacks completed 81.3 percent of their passes and posted a 123.8 rating when targeting him.
Rhodes also failed to make an interception for the first time since his rookie season in 2013 and produced a career-worst six passes defensed. Still, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman downplayed his struggles at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.
"Xavier has been a Pro Bowl corner, you know?" Spielman said. "He maybe had not as great of a year as he's had in the past, but he still helped us win games. So he's just one of them, just like every other player. We talk about the practice squad guys. And then you take each one of those individual players and then assess where they're at in their career and where they're at financially, and then you make decisions."
But with Minnesota desperately needing cap space, even if Rhodes was still held in high regard, he simply wasn't playing up to his contract. Approaching his 30th birthday, the front office decided it was time to move on.
Now with seven seasons under his belt, Rhodes may never return to the All-Pro form he showcased in 2017. But he's still young enough to consider a strong bounce back candidate in the right system and going to a zone-heavy scheme like Seattle's could be the remedy he needs to turn things around.
Depending on what he asks for financially and interest from other teams, Rhodes could help a Seahawks secondary that was seen as a liability most of the season, most notably in a 28-23 divisional round loss to the Packers.
Some may question the fit, especially after Rhodes endured a challenging 2019 season, but it is an option both sides should explore. The veteran defender will be looking to restore his value after being discarded by the only franchise he's ever known, and in Seattle, he'd provide another valuable veteran leader in the back half of the defense.
