Ranking Philadelphia Eagles top 12 starting duos by their position
Slay plus Maddox or Mills (CB). 11. player. 54. . .
It’s been a topic of conversation since his arrival. Who’s going to start on the other side of Darius Slay at cornerback once the regular season begins? Might that be Avonte Maddox? With no disrespect intended to “29”, the facts are the facts.
There isn’t a large contingent that’s rallying for him to be named as one of Philly’s starting cover guys.
It’s not that he doesn’t have talent. Maddox wouldn’t be that bad if he was a better tackler and if he was allowed to roam the secondary with no real assignment, but that just isn’t reality in professional football for a cornerback. Cover guys need to know how to, well, cover, and in 2019, Maddox was taken to the woodshed when matched against Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers.
There’s Cre’Von LeBlanc. He’s on the roster, but he’s probably a slot corner. There’s Nickell Robey-Coleman. He’s definitely a slot guy. Who’s the other outside guy? Don’t be surprised if we’re arguing about this well into the Summer. Don’t be surprised if you’re watching Jalen Mills playing as the other cornerback in Philly’s defense once the season begins.
He clearly isn’t “the guy”, but he might serve the team well as “the other guy”.