Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox has signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions. The news was initially broken by his girlfriend on Instagram. PhillyVoice was able to confirm the signing with a league source.
Maddox was an Eagles fourth-round pick in 2018 who spent seven years in Philly. At different parts of his career, he was a quality slot corner, but he struggled to stay healthy.
Maddox turns 29 at the end of March. He had a rough first fee weeks of the season in 2024 before getting benched in favor of rookie Cooper DeJean after the Week 5 bye. Opposing offenses attacked him, notably during the Eagles' Week 4 loss in Tampa, where the Bucs targeted him 8 times. He did have a good moment in the Super Bowl, when he swatted away a Mahomes 4th down pass, forcing a turnover on downs.
That play preceded the "DeVonta Dagger."
While Maddox can no longer be considered one of the better slot corners in the league, he does bring value as a versatile backup at slot corner and safety. He was also a great locker room personality and teammate who was willing to tutor DeJean, the player who eventually replaced him in the lineup.
The Eagles are light on slot corner depth.
Maddox will move from one Super Bowl contender in Philly to another in Detroit, where he attended Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School.
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