For any Indianapolis Colts fans concerned that the team hasn’t played a role in the wave of signings being made following the start of the legal tampering period, they’ve never really been a team that splurges on the first day of proceedings.
While we don’t doubt that GM Chris Ballard has multiple players on his shopping list, chances are he’s trying to get a gauge on the market and how much he can afford to spend after accounting for potential extensions to certain players.
In other words, this is where he and Bill Belichick differ.
In the meantime, however, fans in Indy have our permission to be wary about potential outgoings, as the Colts have several players hitting free agency.
Speaking of which, the latest social media post from a major contributor in 2020 suggests he’s likely heading elsewhere this offseason.
Roughly an hour into the annual tampering sweepstakes, cornerback Xavier Rhodes unleashed a cryptic tweet that did nothing but foreshadow his seemingly inevitable departure.
https://twitter.com/XavierRhodes29_/status/1371508375675109378?s=20
It sounds like free agent CB Xavier Rhodes is leaving the Colts this offseason.
This tweet honestly shouldn’t come as a surprise to Colts fans, as Rhodes testing the free agent waters and ultimately finding a new home has been the expected outcome since they were eliminated from the playoffs.
The Colts took a gamble on Rhodes last offseason following his tumultuous Vikings departure, and he rewarded their faith with a fantastic bounce-back campaign, surrendering the ninth-lowest completion percentage (51.9%) among cornerbacks who drew a minimum of 50 targets.
As productive as Rhodes was on the field, he was equally as valuable behind the scenes, with his Colts teammates waxing consistent poetic about his presence in weekly CB meetings. The three-time Pro Bowler was also instrumental in helping Rock Ya-Sin overcome his penalty woes.
Taking all of that into consideration, Rhodes, even entering his age-31 season, is likely to command a lucrative contract in free agency. At the very least, you have to think the eight-year pro inks a deal that doubles or triples what he made with Indy ($3.75 million) on an annual basis.
NEW: With only days remaining until the start of free agent negotiations, here’s the latest on the Colts. Fresh intel on TY Hilton, Xavier Rhodes and more: https://t.co/qO3ToxuKtN
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 10, 2021
The Colts would obviously love to have Rhodes back at the right price, and The Athletic reported over the weekend that there’s been little that there’s been “very little communication” between both sides on the negotiation front.
Rhodes himself would likely jump at the chance to return to Indianapolis considering how much he flourished in the team’s zone-oriented system. However, at 31 years old, this will probably be his last chance to cash a fruitful contract, and the Colts might not be in a position to offer him the most money given the other pressing needs on the roster.
Colts could replace Xavier Rhodes with division-rival cornerback after latest roster move
The Indianapolis Colts could replace free agent Xavier Rhodes with a division-rival cornerback after their latest roster move.