As the 2020 NFL season continues to draw closer, the Indianapolis Colts are going to be a very intriguing team to keep an eye on. They put together a busy and big offseason with general manager Chris Ballard making it clear that he would not accept mediocrity any longer.
One of their big moves in free agency was the addition of former Minnesota Vikings star cornerback Xavier Rhodes.
Rhodes signed later in free agency after the Colts had made a couple other big moves. Philip Rivers was signed to a one-year, $25 million contract, while the Colts went out and acquired defensive lineman DeForest Buckner from the San Francisco 49ers.
Last season with the Vikings, Rhodes struggled a bit and failed to live up to the expectations that Minnesota had for him. While they tried to bring him back on a smaller contract after releasing him, Rhodes felt that Indianapolis offered him a better chance to turn things around.
During the 2019 season, Rhodes ended up playing in 15 games. He recorded 63 total tackles to go along with one forced fumble and six defended passes. Rhodes has struggled a bit over the past couple of years.
All of that being said, let’s dive in and take a look at why Xavier Rhodes could be the kind of X-Factor that the Colts have desperately needed.