This season continues to see players make their way back to practice despite suffering pectoral tears. Following C.J. Gardner-Johnson and DaQuan Jones on this front, Avonte Maddox is back at Eagles practice.
The veteran slot cornerback sustained his pectoral injury in Week 2, days before Gardner-Johnson’s, and was not certain to return this season. But the Eagles opening his 21-day practice window Thursday points to Maddox having a clear path back to the 53-man roster. Considering the issues the Eagles have had in coverage this season, that will be an important development.
Pectoral tears regularly end players’ seasons, and Maddox underwent surgery to repair the issue after seeking a second opinion. This season looks set to see some late returns from defensive contributors following operations. All three received return designations this week. The two DBs going down in Week 2 helped their chances of coming back, but this will still make for impressive rallies. Maddox and Gardner-Johnson are on track to return in time for the NFC playoffs.
Maddox, 27, has been the Eagles’ primary slot corner for several years. Despite the team trading for Darius Slay and extending him in 2020, the Eagles paid Maddox not long after. Maddox agreed to a three-year, $22.5MM extension in 2021. The Eagles have Slay, Maddox and James Bradberry tied to veteran deals, but the returns have not been as good as they were in 2022. After leading the NFL in pass defense last season, Philadelphia enters Week 16 ranked 28th. The team has already demoted first-year DC Sean Desai, increasing Matt Patricia‘s responsibilities as it attempts to stem the tide.
One of the players tried in the slot following Maddox’s injury, Mario Goodrich, has been bumped down to the practice squad. The Eagles added Bradley Roby to help, while using rookie Sydney Brown here at points as well. Signed in-season, Roby has played 283 defensive snaps — third-most among Eagles corners. Maddox’s injury prompted Philly to add the 10th-year veteran. Pro Football Focus does not slot any of the Eagles’ three cornerback regulars in the top 40 at the position this season.
While Maddox has manned the slot in Philly for the bulk of the time since being drafted in the 2018 fourth round, injuries have kept him off the field for much of the past two years. Maddox missed nine games because of hamstring, ankle and toe injuries last season. The ankle setback prompted Philly to place Maddox on IR, though he was back in time for the NFC championship game.
PFF rated Maddox as a top-25 corner last season and in 2021, however. His return would provide some help to a struggling unit, which did not have Slay available Monday night due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Slay remains on Philly’s active roster; the team has three weeks to activate Maddox. The 10-4 team, which also has Nakobe Dean on IR, carries five remaining injury activations.