5 players the Minnesota Vikings need to be great in 2019
3. CB Xavier Rhodes
By all accounts Rhodes had a down year in 2018, as he was banged up and registered just one interception in 14 games. Head coach Mike Zimmer offered some pointed criticism of one of his prized cornerback students, saying Rhodes had to play up to a contract that will pay him north of $10 million this season.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2014, #Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes has started 76 out of a possible 80 games. He has 10 INT’s, 67 passes defended and a TD during that time.
— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) February 18, 2019
His 58.2 @PFF grade in 2018 was a career low, but he also gave up a career low 10.4 yards per reception
Rhodes regularly shadows an opponent’s No. 1 wide receiver, and was actually pretty effective doing so last year. His broader level of play was clearly not up to par though.
According to @PFF last season the #Vikings had Xavier Rhodes shadow the opposing teams top WR in 10 games. In the 10 games he shadowed them he allowed
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_8) April 3, 2019
-47 Targets
-29 Rec
-310 Yards
-2 TDs
Here are some highlights from the games he shadowed.
The two-time Pro Bowler has absorbed and accepted Zimmer’s criticism of his his play last season.
"Me and him spoke on that,” Rhodes said of Zimmer’s remarks. “I mean, we had a bad year as a whole team, so everybody was messing up. We all need to come together as at team and correct our mistakes. I was one of those guys being a leader on the team, not making as many plays as I did in previous years.” “There were mistakes I need to work on and plays I felt like I could have come out on top of that I didn’t,"
The Vikings managed to keep all the key pieces of their defense in place this offseason, amid trade rumors and the idea linebacker Anthony Barr would be too expensive to bring back in free agency. But the guy who has to step his game back up the most is Rhodes, with better health as the first step toward re-emerging as the top-tier cornerback he’s being paid to be.