Former Vikings C Rhodes call cut “A Reality Check”
Joe Johnson
|
As I wrote about in part 1 of my ‘Legacy of Rick Spielman [So Far]’ piece, if you would’ve told any Vikings writer/fan back in 2017/18 that they’d be cutting players like Xavier Rhodes after the 2019 season, you would’ve been laughed at back to the Vikings message boards that focus solely on how the ‘NFL is RIGGED’. But that’s the reality we currently find ourselves in, and it’s that reality check that now Colts corner Xavier Rhodes talked about while speaking with Stephen Holder of The Athletic in a video conference call).
Rhodes said getting cut "was a reality check… You have to prove yourself every day."
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 30, 2020
It was in that call that Rhodes called the fact that he was cut from the Vikings a reality check and that it reiterated the notion that even as an established pro in the NFL, “you have to prove yourself every day”.
Despite his really bad 2019 (in which he allowed a staggering 81.5% of targets to be completed against him), those in Colts media have described the one-year deal that their team inked with the 29-year-old Rhodes to be a “steal”.
It’s thought that if Rhodes can get back anywhere near to his 2017 All Pro form, that they’ll have made one of the better free agency signings in the league. While Rhodes has talked about the Colts decision (or choosing the Colts over the Vikings, who attempted to resign him) as a “fresh start”, it’s clear that Rhodes’ decline has been linked to his physical decline and any fresh start won’t matter as long as he’s unable to stay healthy.
Still, it’s hard not to feel like the Vikings will end up getting the short end of the stick in this situation as they’re still due to pay him nearly $5 million in 2020 ($4.8 million to be exact) to play for another team, and they’re without the depth, leadership, or potential comeback potential that Rhodes now is providing to the Colts.
What do you think about Rhodes’ “Reality Check”? Let us know in our new message board and stay tuned to our sites, purplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com for all your Vikings news and opinion.