While Maddox played well and helped the Eagles’ defense in a lot of ways from the time he was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 draft from the University of Pittsburgh, 2021 has been his most impactful campaign to date. Instead of bouncing around the secondary, Maddox has been firmly entrenched at the nickel cornerback position. He’s been outstanding. Maddox has 47 total tackles and has already established career highs in tackles for loss (4) and forced fumbles (2) this season. In addition, he has totaled four passes defensed, including one interception, along with two quarterback hits, and a half-sack.
Maddox is one of only four NFL cornerbacks with at least two forced fumbles and an interception this season. His four tackles for loss are tied for the second most among league cornerbacks, trailing only Jalen Ramsey (Rams, with eight). Overall, he is tied for the third-most tackles (47) among his position.
More playing time – Maddox has played a career-high 63 percent of the defensive snaps – has meant more opportunity for Maddox and he has taken full advantage of the situation from a nickel cornerback spot that, while not generally recognized as a “starting” position in an NFL defense, actually plays almost as much as the outside cornerbacks and has to read and react and adapt to a lot of different scenarios.
The nickel cornerback is an extremely valuable position and Maddox’s contract extension is an example of the value the Eagles place on the premium spot.
“I’ve worked hard to get to this point, overcome a lot, and really embraced whatever role they’ve given me,” Maddox said. “JG told me when we first met to get ready to play the nickel. He said, ‘You’re gonna be great there, so let’s go out and do it.’ I love the defense and I love being in that role.”
“We put a lot on his plate. And he has a lot to process and think about. And we put him in that spot as a slot nickel corner. He wears a lot of hats. He’s in the run game, he’s covering man-to-man. He’s in zone. He’s got a pattern match. He makes a lot of adjustments. So, I mean, I like where Avonte is. I like where he’s going. And he’s doing a really good job for us playing winning football in that spot, which you need in that spot,” Gannon said of Maddox earlier this week. “I was in another place and we had a good nickel and he got hurt and, I mean, the pass defense went south really fast just because of that one guy.
“That shows you the value of that position. That guy has to play winning football in there for you because of what we ask him to do. So, he’s doing an excellent job. I love having him.”
