One offseason move each NFL team must make

Minnesota Vikings-Trade CB Xavier Rhodes

This is not an indictment of Rhodes, who has become a very good cornerback and is a two-time Pro Bowler. But he has been banged up a fair amount, the Vikings have to find cap room wherever they can and Rhodes has four years left on a significant contract.

Minnesota has depth at corner. Trae Waynes could be a trade candidate himself, but it seems more likely he sticks around. Mackensie Alexander finally showed something in his third NFL season last year, and 2018 first-round pick Mike Hughes is also around. Of course there’s a complicating factor of Hughes coming back from a torn ACL that shortened his rookie season, but if he’s making sufficient progress toward being ready for Week 1 the Vikings can make a move from a position of strength. 2018 undrafted free agent Holton Hill also showed he belonged when he got opportunities, so a path to a bigger role for him in 2019 would be paved by trading Rhodes.

Rhodes would definitely appeal to multiple teams, and the Vikings may be able to fetch a starting-caliber offensive lineman for him. It will be a hard pill for head coach Mike Zimmer to swallow, and fans won’t like it if he’s moved, but sentiment shouldn’t keep Rhodes off the trade block this offseason.