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If you were already a cornerback on the roster for the Philadelphia Eagles aat the end of the 2023 regular season, the 2024 NFL draft probably wasn’t the greatest day you’ve ever had.
That’s because the Eagles used their first 2 picks in the draft on college cornerbacks, with Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell in the first round (No. 22 overall) and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean in the second round (No. 4o overall). Both players have proven as rookies they are likely the building blocks for the next decade in the secondary.
While draft day probably wasn’t a very fun day for the cornerbacks already on the roster, everything since then has been gravy — the Eagles are 12-2 and on a 10-game winning streak with the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs very much within reach.
It’s also made the veteran cornerbacks with expiring cornerbacks lucrative targets for other NFL teams in free agency in 2025 — everyone wants a winner — and Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers could go after veteran Philadelphia cornerback Avonte Maddox.
“It’s not a premium position, but bringing in a veteran could give the secondary the depth they need,” Ballentine wrote. “Avonte Maddox is a longtime slot defender for the Eagles. He has had his fair share of ups and downs, but there has been more good than bad. He’s headed toward his age-29 season, but he’s done well this season and held opponents to a 76.2 passer rating when targeted.”
Maddox is playing this season on a 1-year, $2 million contract he signed in April 2024.
Maddox Earns Reputation as Hard-Nosed Defender
Despite being just 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, Maddox has crafted a reputation as a hard-nosed defender dating back to his time at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a 2-time All-ACC selection and had 183 tackles, 8 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 7.0 sacks in 4 seasons and despite missing 4 games due to injuries over his final 2 seasons.
The Eagles drafted Maddox in the fourth round (No. 125 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft after he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and he’s been a steady presence on that side of the ball ever since.
While he had career highs of 9 starts and 2 interceptions as a rookie, Maddox has continued to find ways to make an impact for the Eagles in the years since. That’s included a career-high 10 pass deflections in 2019 and a career-high 73 tackles and 5 tackles for loss in 2021.
Eagles Rewarded Maddox With 8-Figure Deal in 2021
The Eagles rewarded Maddox with a 3-year, $22.5 million contract extension in November 2021 but injuries took their toll over the last few seasons. Maddox only played 9 games in 2022 and just 4 games in 2023 with a pec injury.
The Eagles got Maddox to take a pay cut in 2024 after they released him on March 7 to clear $1.95 million in salary cap space, then turned around and used that money to sign Maddox to his current deal on April 4.
Were Maddox to sign with a team like the Steelers, he is almost certainly in line for at least a slight pay raise in 2024 — presumably something along the lines of a 1-year contract worth between $3 million to $4 million.
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Eagles’ Veteran $22.5 Million CB Predicted to Sign With AFC North Power