Eagles Cornerback Out Indefinitely

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the middle of one of their greatest seasons in franchise history, but they hit a speedbump in Week 16's 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, cornerback Avonte Maddox suffered a significant toe injury that will hold him out indefinitely.

#Eagles CB Avonte Maddox suffered a significant toe injury, per me and @MikeGarafolo. He had his MRI this morning to confirm the news that he's out indefinitely. Philly does have CJ Gardner-Johnson eligible to come off IR and is a possibility to play in the slot.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2022

Maddox exited Saturday's game after 19 defensive snaps, having logged an impressive two tackles for loss and one sack. He has started eight games for the Eagles this year, mostly as a slot cornerback, nabbing one interception and breaking up three passes.

At 13-2, the Eagles remain decisive favorites to finish with the league's best record and the top seed in the NFC, so they should be able to weather Maddox's absence. They'll also benefit from the upcoming return of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has missed the past four games with a rib injury yet remains the league leader with his six interceptions. The Eagles' elite pass defense has been a huge part of their success this season; they rank first in passing yards allowed and net passing yards per attempt allowed.

Maddox initially joined the Eagles as their 125th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has played important (if unglamorous) snaps for the team as a versatile defensive back, logging 36 starts in 60 total appearances and totalling 238 tackles in his career. He signed a three-year, $22.5 million extension with the team in 2021.

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