ReportWire

Tag: Avonte Maddox

  • Detroit Lions to Roll With 2 New Starters vs. Rams

    [ad_1]

    The Detroit Lions knew this Week 15 matchup against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams was going to test their depth, and now we know just how much. After a rough week of injury updates, Detroit will roll out two brand-new starters in the secondary on Sunday.

    The bad news hit fast:

    • Kerby Joseph (knee) → OUT
    • Thomas Harper (concussion) → Downgraded to OUT
    • Brian Branch → Officially placed on IR following season-ending Achilles surgery

    That’s three safeties unavailable… in a game where you’re facing Stafford, Puka Nacua, and one of the NFL’s top passing attacks.

    So who steps in?

    Next Men Up

    Detroit will now lean on a completely reshuffled safety group featuring:

    • Avonte Maddox (29)
    • Erick Hallett (36) — elevated from the practice squad
    • Daniel Thomas (2)
    • Jalen Mills (13) — claimed off waivers just days ago

    With Joseph and Harper out and Branch done for the year, the Lions are expected to start two new safeties against the Rams — likely Maddox and Hallett, though Thomas and Mills should also get some reps.

    Hallett gets the call-up from the practice squad, while Mills, who arrived Wednesday, could be pushed straight into action. Not exactly ideal timing, but that’s life in December football.

    The Bottom Line

    The Lions’ secondary is being held together with tape, grit, and emergency depth pieces. If Detroit is going to slow down Stafford and the Rams, these new faces will have to grow up fast. Sunday officially becomes a “next man up” game in every sense, and Detroit’s playoff hopes may depend on how well these new starters respond.

    [ad_2]

    Don Drysdale

    Source link

  • Detroit Lions Announce Plethora of Roster Moves Prior to SNF Matchup vs. Chiefs

    [ad_1]

    The Detroit Lions are making sure they’re prepared for anything ahead of their Sunday Night Football showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. And after a week loaded with injury news, it’s safe to say the front office and coaching staff have been busy.

    With multiple players ruled out, including key starters, Detroit made a flurry of roster moves on Saturday designed to patch up depth and keep things steady heading into a primetime battle against the defending Super Bowl champs.

    Lions Lose Two Linemen, Add Reinforcements Up Front

    The most significant blow came when the Lions officially placed rookie offensive tackle Giovanni Manu on injured reserve due to a lingering knee injury. Manu had filled in admirably in recent weeks but will now miss at least the next four games.

    Detroit also waived offensive lineman Kingsley Eguakun and defensive tackle Chris Smith, two players who had spent most of the season inactive on game days.

    To fill those gaps, general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell turned to the practice squad for reinforcements. The team promoted three players to the active roster:

    • DL Quinton Jefferson – a veteran presence who adds experience and versatility to the defensive line rotation.
    • CB Nick Whiteside – provides depth at corner with both Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox banged up.
    • DB Erick Hallett – a flexible defensive back capable of playing both corner and safety, giving Kelvin Sheppard’s defense some much-needed coverage options.

    The Lions didn’t stop there. With the offensive line taking a beating, Detroit elevated OT Devin Cochran from the practice squad for the second straight week. Cochran, a former Bengals tackle, has experience protecting the edge and will be on standby with Taylor Decker and Giovanni Manu sidelined.

    In the secondary, the team elevated cornerback Arthur Maulet, who was signed earlier this week. Maulet brings veteran savvy and toughness, traits that Dan Campbell values deeply, and they’ll be needed against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing attack.

    If there’s one thing fans know by now, it’s that Dan Campbell’s group won’t back down. The Lions may be shorthanded, but they’re still gritty, still dangerous, and still ready to fight.

    [ad_2]

    Don Drysdale

    Source link

  • Dan Campbell Divulges Unfortunate Injury Update Ahead of Matchup vs. Chiefs

    [ad_1]

    The Detroit Lions are heading into Kansas City a bit banged up, and head coach Dan Campbell isn’t sugarcoating it.

    Heading into their Sunday Night Football showdown with the Chiefs, the Lions are dealing with multiple injuries in the secondary that could have a serious impact on the game plan.

    Four Starters in the Secondary Could Be Out

    While speaking to reporters on Friday, Campbell revealed that safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch will both sit out today’s practice, and they will be game-time decisions for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. While Campbell emphasized that Branch’s ankle injury isn’t believed to be long-term, there’s still uncertainty about whether he’ll be ready to go under the bright lights at Arrowhead.

    If neither Branch nor Joseph can suit up, Detroit would be down four starters in the secondary, a massive concern against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s high-powered offense.

    Avonte Maddox Also Uncertain

    Adding to the concern, defensive back Avonte Maddox is also listed as a game-time decision with a hamstring injury. The veteran corner has been a stabilizing presence since joining the team, and his potential absence only adds to the Lions’ defensive uncertainty.

    The Bottom Line

    The Lions’ defense has been a strength through five weeks, led by Aidan Hutchinson’s relentless pass rush and Brian Branch’s playmaking ability. But with multiple defensive backs potentially sidelined, Campbell’s crew could be in for their toughest test yet.

    Detroit’s mantra this season has been “next man up”, and it’ll need to hold true in Week 6 if the Lions want to keep their hot start rolling against the defending champs.

    [ad_2]

    Jeff Bilbrey

    Source link

  • Delivering the Dagger. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    [ad_1]

    How Fearless Calls Are the Formula for An Eagles Repeat for the Franchise.

    It started here during Doug Pederson’s tenure, quickly becoming the hallmark of the franchise’s first two Super Bowl victories. Aggressive offensive play calls, placing dust on special teams units and leaving the offense on the field on 4th and short, and trading conservative play-calling for an attacking downfield mentality. But it’s one thing to make those calls during the NFL regular season — quite another during the Super Bowl.

    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    With time running down in the second half — the Eagles already up (27–0 —) were one score away from putting the game away and securing the franchises’ second Super Bowl win. After Kansas City turned the ball over on downs courtesy of Avonte Maddox in one of his last plays as an Eagle knocking the ball away from DeAndre Hopkins — the entire globe thought that the Eagles would run the ball to keep the clock moving — almost.

    What followed was a play-action fake to Saquon Barkley and a 46-yard soaring strike to Devonta Smith. It not only sealed the game — but also broke the backs of the Chiefs. 

    For the Eagles — who open the season on Thursday night right here against the Dallas Cowboys and have one of the hardest schedules in the NFL — that brash approach to offense may just be one of the keys to success yet again in 2025. 

    The Eagles are the team that everyone is looking forward to on the schedule. Teams want play them — and want to be them. That means that they will go all out in order to stifle the Eagles potent offensive attack. Last season’s commitment by then offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to ride Saquon Barkley and the running game and develop passing off of that — will not be as easy in 2025.

    Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni has laid out the Eagles approach to 2025 already — no repeat championships — only a new championship for a brand new season with a fresh approach. It may be a good thought — though keeping the aggressive nature that not only has come to define the Eagles and their brash Head Coach — but has brought them hardware. 

    And incorporated into a fearless game-plan — can deliver even more this year — including the occasional dagger at just the right moment.

    Tags:

    Categorized:

    [ad_2]

    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

    Source link

  • Securing the Slot – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Securing the Slot – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    [ad_1]

    Cooper DeJean’s Spot In the Slot Inspires A Hope that the Eagles Have Locked Up the Secondary for Decades to Come.

    Coming out of the week 5 bye and into a game against the Cleveland Browns, the Eagles are expected to start rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean in the slot, replacing Avonte Maddox.

    The move comes as Philly’s defense ranks 27th after four games, giving up approximately 365.8 yards each. It also places the Eagles’ top two 2024 Draft selections together in the defensive backfield for the first time ever. Hopefully, the first time is for a long time.

    When the Eagles selected cornerback Cooper DeJean alongside Quinyon Mitchell in the NFL Draft of April 2024 — the franchise planned to lock up the secondary for years to come.

    DeJean was a Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, a Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, and a unanimous consensus All-American at the University of Iowa.

    PHOTO: WikiCommons

    Twenty-two years earlier — in the NFL Draft of 2002 — the Eagles selected Sheldon Brown alongside Lito Sheppard to help anchor Jim Johnson’s secondary. Sheppard was taken in the first round, Brown in the second. The result of both additions helped to produce one of the finest Eagles’ defenses since the early 1990s — an attacking defense with innovative blitz packages from the creative mind of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, whose defensive schemes made opposing teams feel like the Eagles had twenty-five defenders on the field instead of eleven. As a team — those Eagles would advance to three more NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl before both players were no longer on the team.

    Through four games of the 2024 NFL season — Quinyon Mitchell has been targeted and singled out by opposing defenses. By en-large, he has not only shown his ability and skills as a defender but also his fiery will to compete. For fellow draft-class member Cooper DeJean — the road to his first NFL action has been a little more tenuous. DeJean injured his hamstring before Training Camp. Thrust into action on special teams due to a shoulder injury to returner Britain Covey, last week DeJean fumbled a punt return when the officials picked up a flag for kick-catch interference after Isaiah Rodgers, Jr. blocked a Tampa Bay Player into him. Later, Kelle Ringo plowed in DeJean on another return opportunity.

    Avonte Maddox — selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft one year removed from the Eagles Super Bowl Championship— has been to five playoff appearances with the Eagles, including Super Bowl LVII in 2023. After a string of injuries over the next four years, Maddox was released by the Eagles in March of 2024 and re-signed with the team one month later.

    For the Eagles — the hope is that starting the future of the secondary now can help solidify a Vic Fangio defense that has yet to battle NFC East receivers such as Malik Nabers, CeeDee Lamb, and Terry McLaurin in 2024.
    If the secondary doesn’t make those plays in 2024 — they won’t be playing into the winter of 2025.

    PHOTO: Philadelphia Eagles/Twitter/X

    [ad_2]

    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

    Source link

  • Eagles Cornerback Carousel: Who Will Make the Final Cut? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Eagles Cornerback Carousel: Who Will Make the Final Cut? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    [ad_1]

    The Eagles wrapped up their third and final day of minicamp today. The team will hold a training camp closer to the end of July.
    Final 53-man rosters won’t be due until August 29th, but an overcrowded position noticeably stuck out throughout the week.

    How Many Corners Are Too Many Corners?

    The Eagles announced this morning that they have finally signed Quinyon Mitchell to his rookie contract.

    Quinyon was the final rookie of the Eagles 2024 draft class to be signed.

    With 14 Corners under contract and over 2 months before any final roster decisions, the Eagles will have a deep secondary. But who will make the cut?

    Similar to the last few seasons at defensive tackle, the Eagles have made acquisition after acquisition in the secondary to revamp a defense that gave up 252.7 passing yards a game, ranking 31st in Passing Yards against.

    Even with the draft picks, the Eagles will have most of the same secondary they did last season, with the following players returning.

    • Darius Slay
    • James Bradberry
    • Avonte Maddox
    • Kelee Ringo
    • Zech McPhearson
    • Eli Ricks
    • Josh Jobe

    With the additions of Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Isaiah Rodgers, there will be a few odd men out unless something changes with those already under contract.

    Having too much depth isn’t a bad thing.

    During the last training camp, the Eagles had 5 options at running back before only using 3 throughout the entire season. (We’ll still never know why Swift didn’t play week 1)

    But for the Eagles’ corners, things changed throughout the last 3 days, as we’ve seen Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers at CB2 already. With Mitchell, DeJean, and Rodgers sharing 2nd team throughout the week, the Eagles might finally have the depth if multiple injuries occur once the season picks up.

    So, Who’s Out?

    During the Eagles minicamp, multiple things came up.

    The Eagles seemed to already have assessed the Safety position this offseason, bringing back C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a three-year deal. And if Maddox is ‘learning the safety position,’ that will end up being another depth piece behind those penciled-in starters.

    If Bradberry is also getting a change of scenery on the field, perhaps this is the end of the road before getting traded or cut. We’ll have to wait and see, as Bradberry went to the medical tent at the start of the minicamp and wasn’t a participant for the rest of the week.

    While I’m sure, there are plenty who may want Bradberry off the team as soon as possible. The Eagles have the cap space committed to the player, and he was a ‘part of the plans‘ (12:04) during the Combine. If there’s a team in desperate need of a corner, Bradberry might be on the block to make room for the new additions to the Eagles.

    With another month plus break before more Eagles football. Who do you have making the roster in the secondary?

    PHOTO: Philadelphia Eagles

    [ad_2]

    Tyler L’Heureux

    Source link

  • 3 Weeks From The Draft. Who Might The Eagles Take With Pick #22 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    3 Weeks From The Draft. Who Might The Eagles Take With Pick #22 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    [ad_1]

    With three weeks until the NFL draft.
    Rosters are beginning to take shape and some clear picks are beginning to show.

    With the Bears, Patriots and Commanders expected to take their QBs of the future. There will be a long way to go to see who might fall to the Eagles with the 22nd overall pick.

     

    While the Eagles have recently ended the conversation whether they would trade Reddick or Sweat. Another hole has opened in the depth of the roster.

    Sure the Eagles have already signed Bryce Huff to a $51M deal and have Nolan Smith waiting in the wings after only playing 188 defensive snaps in his rookie season. Barely seeing an increase in playtime after the Eagles had waived Derek Barnett prior to their Week 11 game against Buffalo. 

    Laiatu Latu – Edge, UCLA

    Re-filling the edge-rusher position after trading away Reddick, with Brandon Graham on his final season all while not knowing what you have in Smith and Huff is probably one of the best options for the Eagles at #22. Similar to drafting Davis and Carter in lieu of Hargrave and Cox departures in the last two seasons.

    The biggest area of concern regarding Latu is from a neck injury he suffered during a preseason workout in 2020. An injury that had the University of Washington medical staff refusing to medically clear him to continue playing.

    The Eagles have had multiple instances of drafting players with this warning, including Josh Sweat and Nakobe Dean. 

    If the Eagles don’t believe that Huff and Smith are able to take over enough of the defensive snaps. Bringing in Latu could be the final piece to a new defensive line. 

    NFL.com has multiple mock drafts with Latu going to the Rams at 19 and 24, as well as the Buccaneers at 26. He might fall perfectly within the Eagles range.

     

    Kool-Aid McKinstry – CB, Alabama

    After the disastrous end to the Eagles season. It’s clear a new CB might be needed on the roster. They’ve already gone and re-signed C.J. Gardner Johnson and now brought back Avonte Maddox as well.

    James Bradberry was “part of the plan” when Howie Roseman spoke at the combine, but things can always change by September.

    There’s plenty of available Cornerbacks in this draft. From Quinyon Mitchell, Nate Wiggins, Cooper DeJean and McKinstry are all projected to go in the late 1st round per NFL.com’s mock drafts. 

    Much like Latu. The Eagles may have to look at trading up if they wanted to go after Mitchell in the draft. However, if they wanted to move back in the 1st, McKinstry could be available past 22nd. Allowing the Eagles to regain assets later in the draft.

    With Bradberry and Slay still under contract for multiple seasons. The Eagles should be looking to drafting their predecessors like they have on the defensive line. Unless Eli Ricks or Kelee Ringo have breakout sophomore seasons, a long-term solution needs to be put in place alongside Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown in the secondary. McKinstry could be that answer, and could even allow them to trade Bradberry before the start of the season. Rumors have swirled about the Eagles landing Surtain from the Broncos, but I’d prefer to draft and acquire a starting caliber player still on a rookie deal.

     

     

    No Offensive Picks?

    The offence may not have been able to score at will last season. But the Eagles defense hemorrhaged yards and points beyond belief last year. Was it all on coaching?

    The Eagles have already gone and signed Saquon Barkley, DeVante Parker, Matt Hennessy and Parris Campbell plus more additions for the offense. Taking another day one defensive pick won’t hurt an offense that recently extended two players on the offensive line. With Mailata, Dickerson and Jurgens all under contract for multiple years. There’s multiple options for the Eagles to find a Right Guard late in the draft if Steen hasn’t won the starters spot.

    The Eagles will still have 7 draft picks following the 22nd pick. Where they’ve been able to make successful picks in the later rounds, including 2 more picks in the the top 60.

     

    Who do you have the Eagles drafting in the 1st round?

     

     

     

     

    Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports

    [ad_2]

    Tyler L’Heureux

    Source link