The Philadelphia Eagles have consistently struggled in the secondary this season, unable to keep the unit healthy or find a complete starting lineup of answers consistently. Still, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has done a nice job working with the roster he has been given and consistently has the defense playing at a high enough level to give the Eagles a chance to win.
Now, Eagles fans' attention will turn to Week 15 and a date with the Detroit Lions, which will feature a familiar face or two.
Already, the Lions had signed former Philly corner Avonte Maddox early in the 2025 offseason. The two sides reached an agreement that has given the 2024 Super Bowl winner a consistent chance to play meaningful snaps for a contender. With Detroit recently losing starting safety Brian Branch, it now appears that Maddox is going to get his shot to be in the starting lineup. The former Eagle won't be alone, though.
Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Lions have claimed safety Jalen Mills following his release from the Houston Texans. For Eagles fans who might have forgotten, Maddox and Mills both crossed paths, each winning a ring with the organization. Maddox would win the Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2024, while Mills would leave the team at the end of the 2020 season, having been a part of the 2018 run defined by Nick Foles' magical playoff run.
Eagles to Face Avonte Maddox, Jalen Mills in Week 15
Detroit adding the Philly castoffs sends a clear message of where the cursed franchise is currently in the playoff race. While the Eagles are in no position to throw stones, the Lions are injury-riddled and struggling to find anything resembling reliable answers at corner and safety. It isn't that the roster isn't built to contend, but that injuries and underachieving players have left the team desperate for reliable answers.
For Mills, this is a more important of a chance than for Maddox, who has done a better job recently establishing himself as a contributor. Mills has bounced around the league since leaving Philadelphia, spending time with the New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Texans before landing with the Lions this week. It speaks to a player who is just good enough to continue to earn chances but simply isn't capitalizing.
Mills played 39 coverage snaps prior to his Texans release and wasn't targeted once. Having said that, he has allowed a sub-60.0% completion rate in three of the four previous seasons.
Either way, there is no denying that this is a great opportunity for both players to attempt to help push the Lions back into the playoff race and into some form of relevance. With this in mind, Philly fans will keep an interested eye on the struggling Lions and whether either former Eagle can aid their efforts to fight for the final wildcard spot, or if they'll prove that the Eagles were right to move on when they did.