Defensive back Avonte Maddox, who played in 81 games with 41 starts in seven years with the Eagles, is signing with the Lions, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Maddox began last year as the Eagles’ starting slot but was replaced during the bye week for rookie Cooper DeJean, who went on to a spectacular season, culminating in his pick-6 off Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
Maddox struggled in the first four games of the season but played well the rest of the year in a lesser role as a backup slot and safety.
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He finished the season with a defensive passer rating of 74.8, according to Stathead, which ranked 13th out of 126 cornerbacks who were targeted at least 20 times. He allowed only 8.4 yards on 15 completions, the 4th-lowest figure among those 126 corners. And his 4.3 yards per target allowed was 2nd-best in the league.
But with the addition of Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo entering his third season, the Eagles appear to have a full set of corners, and they’re counting on Sydney Brown to take over as the third safety. So there really was never a spot for Maddox.
Maddox was originally one of the Eagles’ two 4th-round picks in 2018, along with Josh Sweat, who also left as a free agent.
Maddox’s departure leaves only five players on the roster who have been with the Eagles since before Nick Sirianni became head coach in 2021: Lane Johnson, Jake Elliott, Dallas Goedert, Jordan Mailata, Jalen Hurts.
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Since the end of the season, the Eagles have cut ties with five defensive backs: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Isaiah Rodgers and now Maddox. That includes four of their seven defensive backs who played more than 300 snaps – Gardner-Johnson (908), Slay (699), Maddox (345) and Rodgers (328).
In all, seven of 16 defensive players who played at least 300 snaps in 2024 are no longer with the team.
Maddox started nine games and had two interceptions as a rookie in 2018 and was a productive spot starter through 2021. He signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract extension late in the 2021 season but missed eight games in 2022 with toe and hamstring injuries and then missed 13 games in 2023 with a pec injury.
Last March, the Eagles released Maddox, then re-signed him with a pay cut a month later. According to Spotrac he earned about $21.2 million in his seven years with the Eagles.
Maddox’s 90 career games played including the postseason is 9th-most in Eagles history by a cornerback.
He had three interceptions, 36 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks in those 90 games.
The Eagles have now lost Sweat, Milton Williams, Mekhi Becton, Oren Burks, Kenny Gainwell, Rodgers and Fred Johnson in free agency.
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