Tag: Xavier Rhodes

29 days until Vikings season opener: Every player to wear No. 29

The No. 29 has been worn by 15 different players for the Vikings, including CB Xavier Rhodes.

It’s the final countdown…

Well, sort of.

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 29 days at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.

From now until then, we will take a trip down memory lane and count each day by revisiting the players that have worn that specific jersey number.

With 29 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 29 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):

Xavier Rhodes blowing Cowboys away at cornerback

Xavier Rhodes, signed just days ago, has been blowing the Cowboys DC away with his play and could factor into the postseason. | From @ReidDHanson

Since losing Anthony Brown on December 4, the Cowboys cornerback position across from Trevon Diggs has been in a constant state of flux. From the Kelvin Joseph experiment, to Nahshon Wright, to DeRon Bland, to Trayvon Mullen, Dan Quinn has been searching for answers on the boundary.

The Cowboys have mixed and matched their way through the end of the regular season, testing combinations, roles, and situations. At face value, many seem like terrible ideas. Even DaRon Bland, the Cowboys standout nickel cornerback, is a poor fit outside. Nothing has seemed to work and it’s causing panic in Cowboys Nation among the fans. Dan Quinn, on the other hand, is not so concerned, even stating, “I feel very comfortable where we’re at.” Part of that comfort could be because of the new presence of Xavier Rhodes.

 

After his release from Buffalo, the Cowboys added 32-year-old cornerback, Xavier Rhodes, on January 7. The former Pro Bowler joined the Dallas practice squad initially but figures to be a legitimate player when the Cowboys take the field in Tampa on Monday night.

Much like other veteran free agent additions the Cowboys have made this season, Rhodes is certifiably past his prime. Like Jason Peters, T.Y. Hilton and Anthony Barr, he’s no longer the player that earned Pro Bowl honors in years past, and no longer a cornerstone player in which to build a championship roster.

But the Cowboys don’t need him to be. Like the others, Rhodes could still serve an important role for a contender like Dallas.

Quinn’s sense of calm could also come from him knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his players and his confidence that he can put each of them in position to succeed. He’s already spoken to the fact that he’s spent the last several weeks testing the abilities of players to prep for the games that truly matter.

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Cowboys sign two-time All-Pro CB ahead of Week 18, playoff run

Xavier Rhodes- a former first-round pick with 3 Pro Bowls and 6 playoff games on his resume- joins a Cowboys unit lacking in experience. | From @ToddBrock24f7

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It’s never too late to add veteran help at a thin roster position. But when the help comes in the form of a former first-round draft pick who’s been to three Pro Bowls and played in six postseason contests, the signing may be right on time for an inexperienced Cowboys squad with their sights set on a deep playoff run.

The Cowboys have signed Xavier Rhodes to the practice squad. The cornerback was waived by Buffalo earlier in the week; he had been active in just two contests for the Bills this season.

Taken with the 25th overall pick in 2013, the Florida State product began his pro career with Minnesota. In seven seasons there, he started 97 of 104 games, recording 10 interceptions, 73 defended passes, three forced fumbles, 15 tackles for loss, and 372 tackles as a Viking.

Rhodes is well familiar to current Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards, who was the Vikings’ co-defensive coordinator for Rhodes’s entire Minnesota tenure.

Following his release by the Vikings, Rhodes spent the 2021 and 2021 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, starting 29 games and logging another three interceptions.

He spent the majority of the 2022 campaign on Buffalo’s practice squad, seeing action in Weeks 11 and 13. The 32-year-old has been inactive the past three weeks.

In Dallas, the two-time All-Pro will join a corner crew still looking for stability opposite Trevon Diggs following season-ending injuries to Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown.

Second-year man Nahshon Wright and rookie DaRon Bland have been impressive for late-round draft picks with little playing time. Kelvin Joseph had been expected to step up but has thus far not made much of his opportunities in the secondary.

Kendall Sheffield, Mackensie Alexander, and Trayvon Mullen have all been added to the team’s CB squad in recent weeks.

But with some of the NFC’s top receivers on the docket in the postseason, Rhodes may be able to provide some been-there-done-that poise and leadership as the Cowboys proceed through the tournament.

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Bills signed safety Jared Mayden from Jets practice squad

#Bills sign safety Jared Mayden from the #Jets practice squad:

In light of the ongoing Damar Hamlin situation, the Bills made a roster move to strengthen the depth of their roster at the safety position.

With Hamlin, 24, improving but still recovering from the cardiac arrest he suffered against the Bengals on Monday, the Bills went on to sign safety Jared Mayden off the Jets’ practice squad.

The team announced the transaction on Wednesday.

In a corresponding move, the team did not release Hamlin as he remains on their roster. Instead, cornerback Xavier Rhodes was let go.

Rhodes had previously started at cornerback for the Bills this season, however, he had been a healthy scratch in recent weeks.

Mayden previously spent three weeks on the Bills practice squad in October. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Alabama, signing with the 49ers.

Mayden has appeared in six games in his career, featuring mostly on special teams.

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Bills CB Xavier Rhodes’ plan: ‘Be me’

#Bills CB Xavier Rhodes’ plan: ‘Be me’

Buffalo Bills cornerback Xavier Rhodes has been thrust into the spotlight. Over the course of the past few weeks, he’s seen his usage increase.

In fact, in the Bills’ 24-10 win over the New England Patriots a week ago, Rhodes had more snaps than any cornerback on the team.

Once Tre’Davious White returns to full health, most would expect him to take that honor over. But that still leaves a starting spot open across from him.

It was believed first-round rookie Kaiir Elam would assume that spot. In a twist, the first-year pro was inactive last week, paving the way for Rhodes.

The veteran said he has let his experience lead the way through the opportunity.

“When my opportunity strikes I’m just going to go out there, and play, and be me,” Rhodes said.

For more from Rhodes on the opportunity he’s gotten to play, and potentially more coming against the Jets in Week 14, see the attached Spectrum News clip below:

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Bills vs. Jets: 7 things to watch for during Week 14’s game

#Bills vs. #Jets: 7 things to watch for during Week 14’s game:

The Buffalo Bills (9-3) continue their regular season journey at home against the New York Jets (7-5) in Week 14.

Once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind.

Here are seven things to watch for during Sunday’s Bills-Jets matchup: