Eagles getting key player back at practice this week

Last week, the Eagles got Jordan Davis back, and this week they very well may get Avonte Maddox back.

The Eagles on Wednesday opened the 21-day practice window for Maddox, their veteran slot corner.

Maddox suffered a hamstring injury in the Eagles’ Nov. 3 win over the Texans and was placed on Injured Reserve Nov. 14, missing games against Commanders, Colts, Packers and Titans.

Players on IR must miss at least four games before becoming eligible to return. Maddox is now able to practice with the team without counting against the 53-man roster.

The Eagles have 21 days to either activate him or decide to keep him on IR for the rest of the year. They can wait until Saturday afternoon to formally activate him and still have him available for the game Sunday against the Giants in East Rutherford.

Although some don’t consider slot corner a starting position, the reality is that with modern three-receiver NFL passing attacks, slot corners play as much as most starters.

Maddox started five of the six games he played this year and has 33 starts since the Eagles made him a 4^th-round pick in 2018. In the five games he’s played start to finish, he’s been on the field for 86 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. Only Marcus Epps (99 percent), James Bradberry (98), T.J. Edwards (95) and Darius Slay (89) have played a higher percentage of snaps when healthy.

Maddox has 27 tackles, three pass knockdowns, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble this year. He has four career interceptions, including one in the Eagles’ win over the Vikings in Week 2.

In Maddox’s absence, Josiah Scott has held down the slot. He had five pass knockdowns and his first NFL interception in Maddox’s absence, picking off Aaron Rodgers in the win over the Packers.

Scott played 70 percent of the Eagles’ snaps in the last four games, seventh-most on the defense during that span.

With Davis and Maddox off IR, the next player the Eagles could get back is tight end Dallas Goedert, who went on IR Nov. 16 with a shoulder injury suffered against the Commanders.

He’s missed wins over the Colts, Packers and Titans and has to miss the Giants game on Sunday but will be eligible to return to practice next week and said last week he's optimistic he'll be able to return the following week for the game against the Bears in Chicago.

Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson went on IR Saturday with the lacerated kidney he suffered against the Packers. He’s out for at least another three games and would be eligible to return on Jan. 1 vs. the Saints, the team he spent his first three seasons with.

Also on IR are Derek Barnett (out for the year), Robert Quinn (could be eligible for the second Giants game), Marlon Tuipulotu (eligible to return for the Bears but not expected back this year).

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-avonte-maddox-returning-practice-week