Los Angeles Chargers: Two recent cuts that would fit nicely in LA
By Jason Reed
1. CB Xavier Rhodes, cut by the Minnesota Vikings
Xavier Rhodes was not the typical cut that you see at this time of year from an NFL team. He was not on an expiring contract, like Mebane and Davis, thus the Vikings were forced to carry a dead cap hit by cutting Rhodes.
Altogether, the Vikings saved $8.1 million by cutting Rhodes but still have to pay $4.8 million in dead cap. Rhodes had three more seasons under contract with the Vikings.
The Vikings signed Rhodes to a five-year contract two seasons ago after a tremendous start to his career in Minnesota. He was a Pro Bowler in both 2016 and 2017 and was even named an All-Pro for the 2017 season.
He was a Pro Bowler again in 2019, but because of the financial cost of Rhodes and the fact that he played fewer than three-fourths the total defensive snaps, the Vikings saw more value in cutting him rather than keeping him.
The Chargers do not have a massive hole at cornerback but it is far from a guarantee that the position will be great. If Casey Hayward plays like he did last season and Desmond King plays as he did in 2018 then the Chargers will be just fine.
If one of them falters then the depth of the position would be exposed. The team does not have a great third cornerback option, which is more disguisable when you have two really solid corners in front of them.
Rhodes can not only give the team a great third corner and the best trio of corners in the league if King returns to form but can act as a cushion for the team if either King or Hayward falter in any way.