3 Thoughts on a potential breakout year for Eagles CB Avonte Maddox
3. All of these accolades and awards are often popularity contests anyway.
It’s been close to a month. and it’s still difficult to determine why Brandon Brooks isn’t the league’s Comeback Player of the Year, why Miles Sanders didn’t get more consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award, and why Brandon Graham has yet to make a Pro Bowl.
Actually, no it isn’t. It’s the same reason why Peyton Hillis found his way onto EA Sport’s Madden cover and why the same guys go to the Pro Bowl every season. These things are often about name recognition and the loyal fans who pull up a ballot and simply vote for all of the guys that play on the team that they cheer for. Don’t act like you haven ‘t done it.
Who cares if Maddox isn’t a Hall of Famer yet? Right now, most ‘Birds’ fans would be happy if he was just serviceable.
Sidney Jones‘ career is in football limbo. The Eagles coaches seemingly have buried Rasul Douglas on the depth chart, and all of these new coaches will need time to gel with the ones who were already here.
Let’s say Philly makes a move in free agency and lands a big-name corner. Let’s say it’s Byron Jones. They’d still need to add one or two in the draft, but the new guys will have to learn Jim Schwartz‘s system. Maddox’s role increases by default.
Don’t look now, but he’s one of the veterans in the locker room now. Schwartz trusts him. So does Doug Pederson. Maddox will get his opportunities in 2020. and penciling him in for about 60 tackles, three picks, and some big moments in prime time isn’t a ridiculous theory.
Trending. Grades for every CB the Eagles have drafted since 2010. light
In a Snapchat and Instagram generation, we all like highlights. Maddox can give you those. Is he an All-Pro? At this point, he most certainly isn’t, but breakouts are subjective. Often fans ignore things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, but it’s obvious that Maddox has talent.
He’s a fourth-round draft choice guys and gals. We’ve seen positive signs, and we’ve all seen signs that were less than stellar, but if we look up at the end of 2020’s regular season and Maddox is a consistent part of Philly’s rotation in the secondary, is anyone going to be surprised? We can agree that shouldn’t shock anyone right? That has to count for something, doesn’t it?