5 teams that should trade for Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes

1. Detroit Lions

Darius Slay earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod last year, and he had the sixth-best forced incompletion rate last year (19.8, via Pro Football Focus) with 17 pass breakups (tied for third in the league). He’s simply one of the best cornerbacks in the league, which a lot of people probably don’t fully realize in the relative anonymity of playing for Detroit.

The Lions made a major move to address their need at cornerback in free agency, signing former Seahawk Justin Coleman to a record contract for a nickel corner (four years, $36 million). With the eighth overall pick in April’s draft, a cornerback is absolutely in play to further fortify a defense that tied for the second-lowest interception total in the league last year (seven).

As is obviously necessary to acquire Rhodes, Detroit has ample room (just shy of $29.7 million right now, via Over The Cap) to comfortably take on the $13-plus million cap hit. By swinging a trade for Rhodes, the Lions would also weaken a division rival.

If the Vikings are even open to trade offers for Rhodes, with a strong case they should be now if they weren’t already, trading him within the NFC North might be a non-starter. But the Lions should be ready to make an effort.