Vikings Close To Finalizing Long-Term Extension With CB Xavier Rhodes

Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press spoke to sources Saturday that said the Vikings are close to finalizing a lucrative contract extension with CB Xavier Rhodes.

A source tells Tomasson that he expects Rhodes next contract to be close to $70 million over the course of five years.

Earlier in the week, former NFL cornerback Terrell Buckley, the mentor of Rhodes, mentioned that there’s a “high probability”  the Vikings cornerback signs a long-term extension with Minnesota this week.

“He is trying to get a couple of things squared away (with the contract),’’ Buckley tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. “He wants to be there. He loves the (Vikings) organization, but obviously it’s a business.

“He’s got to make sure it makes sense to him financially. But he’s excited about it. He loves Minnesota. He loves the head coach (Mike Zimmer). He loves (defensive backs coach Jerry Gray). He’s very adamant and excited that he wants to be a Viking. He wants to play his whole career in Minnesota.’’

Rhodes is among the games best young cornerbacks and should be in line for an impressive extension when all is said and done.

Rhodes, 27, was taken with the No. 25 overall pick in 2013. He played out the final year of his four-year, $7.402 million rookie contract when the Vikings picked up his fifth-year option.

Rhodes stands to make a base salary of $8 million in 2017 before testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent next year.

In 2016, Rhodes appeared in 14 games for the Vikings and recorded 52 tackles, five interceptions with one being returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble and 11 pass defenses. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 29 cornerback out of 109 qualifying players last year.

We’ll have more regarding a new deal for Rhodes as the news is available.