CB Xavier Rhodes practices for first time as a Bill

The Bills signed 32-year old veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes Tuesday night

Just hours after working out with the Bills, Xavier Rhodes was signed to the practice squad Tuesday. The former Vikings and Colts cornerback practiced with the Bills for the first time on Wednesday:

The Bills cornerback position, and the secondary as a whole, was in desperate need of new additions and healthy players. The Bills were without All-Pro safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer on Sunday against the Dolphins, and they also didn’t have cornerback Dane Jackson which forced rookie corners Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford to step up. Injuries didn’t stop there for the Bills, as Benford fractured his hand during the game Sunday.

These injuries left the Bills very little depth, forcing them to make a move. The Bills signing Rhodes gives the secondary hope, and if they get players back from injury they can get back on track. 

Rhodes last played in 2021, where he played 13 games for the Indianapolis Colts. Last season, Rhodes had 1 interception, 7 passes defensed, 1 fumble recovery, and 39 combined tackles. Over his nine-year career, he has totaled 13 interceptions, 2 touchdowns, and 92 passes defensed. He has been selected to three pro bowls and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2017.

He now lands in a zone-heavy scheme, which he has thrived in in his career. He’s already calling the Bills a family and says the “sky is the limit” for this year:

Rhodes is a good signing for the Bills. He’s a veteran who can teach the young cornerbacks and also can hold his own out on the field. Rhodes will be reunited with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who was the Vikings head coach in 2013 and coached Rhodes as a rookie.