5 teams that should trade for Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes

After head coach Mike Zimmer sort of called out cornerback Xavier Rhodes earlier this week, and these five teams should consider making a trade offer for the Vikings cornerback.

The Minnesota Vikings have one of the most talented defenses in the NFL, which is no surprise with a defensive-minded head coach like Mike Zimmer. Zimmer is considered a strong developer of cornerbacks, and Xavier Rhodes stands as a shining example as he has gone from a fairly raw first-round pick to a two-time Pro Bowler.

But Rhodes is coming off an injury-marred 2018 season, as he missed two games with ankle and groin issues respectively while being limited in some others. Since a peak season in 2016, when he had a career-high five interceptions, Rhodes fell to two interceptions in 2017 and just one last year.

The media breakfast with coaches at the owners meetings is a loose atmosphere, but Zimmer said something interesting regarding Rhodes.

Rhodes signed a five-year, $70.1 million contract extension in July of 2017. He has a base salary of $10.4 million this year, with a cap hit of $13.3 million. The Vikings have quite frankly not allocated resources properly this offseason, and currently have just over $2.7 million in cap space with a need to find another veteran starting-caliber guard and ideally another running back. So that $13 million, or even some portion of it after absorbing some dead money in a trade, would surely come in handy.

Zimmer did point to Rhodes as something of a pet project, with the idea “I’m going to make sure he plays better.” Zimmer has gotten what he wants this offseason, but parting with one of his apparently critical defensive pieces seems practically necessary. Cornerback Trae Waynes is a potential trade candidate too, but there’s a case that Rhodes will be more desirable to other teams.

With that, these five teams should be preparing a trade offer for Xavier Rhodes.

5. New York Jets

The Jets have been players in free agency, including nearly getting Anthony Barr before he spurned them and stayed with the Vikings. They could certainly use another cornerback, with 2018 free agent bust Trumaine Johnson as their proverbial No. 1 and Darryl Roberts currently sitting as the other starter after splitting time between corner and safety last year.

The Jets were 24th in the league in pass defense last year (254.1 yards per game), with a middle of the pack 13 interceptions. Four of those interceptions came from linebackers (Darron Lee-three, Avery Williamson-one).

New Jets’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would surely love to have a big, physical corner like Rhodes. With $30.4 million in cap space, general manager Mike Maccagnan has the ability make it happen financially.