Philadelphia Eagles: Avonte Maddox vs Sidney Jones, the CB2 debate
By David Esser
Philadelphia Eagles: Who should be the team’s cornerback #2?
In 2019, the Philadelphia Eagles defense gave up the 14th most passing yards, the 12th most passing touchdowns, and had the 11th fewest interceptions. PFF ranked their secondary as the 12th worst in the entire NFL, and every single cornerback on the roster who played meaningful snaps (8 total players) received a PFF grade of below 70.0.
It’s no secret the Eagles secondary was a disaster last year, and this all took place while the team received relatively above average play from both of their safeties (Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod). This means that the blame primarily fell on the corners, as they struggled to deal with opposing wide receivers all season long.
Former CB1 Ronald Darby is no longer with the team, longtime starter Jalen Mills has been moved to safety, Rasul Douglas has been mentioned in trade talks all offseason long, and guys like Craig James never should have left the practice squad in the first place.
More from Section 215
- 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
- Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
- 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
- Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
- Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles
With all that said, Howie Roseman was quick to act on this problem. He traded for former All-Pro corner Darius Slay, and snapped up standout slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman on a cheap, team friendly deal. While there are now some question marks at safety following Jenkins’ departure, the cornerback room has no doubt improved this summer.
Now the attention has turned to that of the CB2 position, with two main candidates emerging. Avonte Maddox has been an integral piece to Jim Schwartz’ defense the last two seasons, while Sidney Jones has shown insane amounts of potential in limited action. Pretty much everyone in Philadelphia has an opinion on who should start opposite Slay, but now it’s time to break it down in its entirety.