The Philadelphia Eagles saw several players on defense leave in free agency and sign with new teams immediately. One of those former Eagles who left the nest was veteran defender Avonte Maddox.
The 29-year-old defensive back had an up-and-down Eagles’ tenure due to inconsistent play and injuries, which plagued him in 2022 and 2023. That said, Maddox left the team as a Super Bowl champion and will try to rebuild his value with the Detroit Lions.
The Lions, who are Maddox’s hometown team, signed the ex-Eagle to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, which is essentially a prove-it deal. On a cheap one-year deal, Maddox has no room for error if he wants to make Detroit’s 53-man roster.
Thus far, the former Eagles cornerback is already impressing Lions head coach Dan Campbell during OTAs.
Avonte Maddox Already Garnering Attention from Lions HC Dan Campbell
According to Will Burchfield of 97.1 The Ticket, Campbell said, “Glad we got those guys. They’re going to fit right in with us,” when speaking about Maddox and D.J. Reed, another offseason pickup by the Lions.
This is a good sign for Maddox as he fights with other players in the secondary to win a job on the 53-man roster this summer. The former Eagle won’t start in Detroit due to the talent in their secondary, which might be better suited for him at this point.
Last season with the Eagles, Maddox saw a ton of snaps in the first four games out of the slot, but that quickly changed after the Week 5 bye. Philadelphia moved Maddox to a backup role and started rookie Cooper DeJean, which paid huge dividends.
That said, if Maddox can stay healthy, he has the skills to get on the field in Detroit, whether at cornerback or safety. We still have a long way to go before Week 1 of the regular season, but the former Eagle is doing what he can to solidify his standing with the coaches.