Former Vikings All-Pro CB Xavier Rhodes, Colts Agree to 1-Year Contract

The Indianapolis Colts have signed cornerback Xavier Rhodes to a one-year deal, his agent Sunny Shah told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 

He was released by the Minnesota Vikings earlier this month in a move that saved the team $8.1 million against the cap for 2020.

The 29-year-old had spent his first seven seasons with the Vikings. The 2013 first-round pick was a Pro Bowler in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and was named to his first All-Pro team in 2017, which initially earned him his five-year, $70.1 million extension.

Injuries plagued Rhodes throughout most of 2018, though he missed only two games. Those issues resulted in a relatively down season in which he recorded 47 tackles and seven passes defensed, both career lows, and one interception. 

"You can't control injuries in this game. You just can't. I tried this season to do the most, but it happens," Rhodes told reporters. "I've just got to be better at maintaining my composure, not doing too much. Maybe I was overdoing it, overworking my body this year."

The Florida State University product said the 2018 season was a "lesson learned" for him rushing back from injuries.

Though he played 15 games in 2019 and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl, it was more based on reputation as he rarely resembled his old self during an up-and-down campaign.

Indianapolis will be relying on Rhodes to return to 2017 form as the squad tries to improve a pass defense that ranked 23rd in the NFL last season. Rock Ya-Sin and Kenny Moore have shown promise but remain relatively inexperienced at this level.

The new addition could help turn things around for a Colts team that has high expectations after signing Philip Rivers.