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Mario Goodrich

Eagles’ Avonte Maddox To Undergo Surgery On Torn Pectoral Muscle

September 18th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 18: After undergoing an MRI and receiving a second opinion, Maddox will indeed have surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. As a result of the procedure, the Eagles will be without a starter in their secondary for an indefinite stretch, or potentially the remainder of the season. Maddox is on the books through 2024, but none of his scheduled base salary for that year ($6.85MM) is guaranteed.

SEPTEMBER 15: Letting their starting safeties and linebackers walk in free agency, the Eagles paid up to keep their cornerback contingent intact. The new deals for Darius Slay and James Bradberry kept them in the fold with slot corner Avonte Maddox, who signed an extension back in 2021.

Slay and Bradberry are unlikely to have Maddox alongside them for a while. Another injury has cropped up for the experienced inside defender, with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark reporting the team fears Maddox suffered a torn pectoral muscle. Maddox is seeking a second opinion, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The final diagnosis confirming this fear would almost definitely sideline Maddox for the rest of the season. This continues a trend for Maddox, the longest-tenured member of the Eagles’ secondary. The 2018 fourth-rounder missed time because of hamstring, ankle and toe injuries last season. The ankle setback prompted Philly to place Maddox on IR; the toe injury sidelined him for three late-season games. Maddox ended up missing nine of the Eagles’ 20 games last year.

Maddox, 27, left Thursday night’s game in the second quarter. Second-year UDFA Mario Goodrich replaced him in the slot. The injury-relief cameo doubled as Goodrich’s first NFL action. The Clemson product spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad, and the team retained him via reserve/futures deal in February. The Eagles kept Goodrich on their 53-man roster this year; he may be needed to play extensively going forward.

Joining the Eagles just after their Super Bowl LII-winning season, Maddox has been a regular on their defense since his rookie slate. Despite the team trading for Slay and extending him in 2020, the Eagles paid Maddox not long after. Maddox’s three-year, $22.5MM extension runs through 2024. He is due a $6.85MM base salary next season.

The Eagles already went into last night’s game without defensive starters Reed Blankenship and Nakobe Dean. Additionally, Philly released one of its recent linebacker pickups — Rashaan Evans — from its practice squad Friday. The team also reached an injury settlement with running back Trey Sermon, who landed on season-ending IR — after being waived with an injury designation — last month. This will sever ties between the former third-round draftee and the Eagles, who had claimed Sermon off waivers from the 49ers in August 2022.

Evans requested to be released off the Eagles’ P-squad, Schefter tweets. He has received interest from other teams. While clubs can poach players off P-squads, the player’s options are limited. Evans, who spent several months in free agency this offseason, will try his luck back on the market.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/15/23

February 15th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s reserve/futures contracts:

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

The Chiefs will likely enter into extension talks with Creed Humphrey when the Pro Bowler becomes eligible in 2024, but they are also retaining their Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LV center starter. Reiter, 31, played for the Dolphins in 2021 but did not see any action for the Chiefs this season. The Chiefs cut Shelton after training camp but kept the veteran defensive tackle around on their practice squad. Shelton, 29, played in one game for the Super Bowl champions this season and will be set to collect a second Super Bowl ring; his first came in 2018 with the Patriots.

Allen, 28, put his track and field career on pause to attempt a football comeback, and the two-time Olympic 110-meter hurdle finalist resided on the Eagles’ practice squad all season. While the Paris Games are not until 2024, Allen ran 2022’s top 110 hurdle time (12.84 seconds) — which doubled as the third-fastest time in history — and will be on the radar to claim his first world championship in the event. This year’s World Track and Field Championships are slated for Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, so it will be interesting to see if Allen puts track aside for the time being or if the Eagles greenlight dual participation. The Bears did so for long jumper/wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in 2021, but that was for an Olympic Trials competition that did not conflict with training camp.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC East

August 31st, 2022 at 2:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles and Giants moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Signed:

Released:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Philadelphia Eagles

Claimed: 

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Washington Commanders

Released:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Eagles Finalize 53-Man Roster

August 30th, 2022 at 10:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Eagles reached the 53-man limit Tuesday:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

The Eagles added two veteran receivers this offseason, with one of them (A.J. Brown) bumping Jalen Reagor down the depth chart. Zach Pascal, who has played for Nick Sirianni previously (in Indianapolis), may also be a factor. But the Eagles, despite their moves at receiver and offseason trade rumors that engulfed Reagor, still have the 2020 first-round pick rostered. The TCU product is also coming off a solid preseason.

Howie Roseman said the Eagles, who have two QBs on their active roster, are planning to add a third — either a practice squad arm or a legit third-stringer — soon, and The Athletic’s Zach Berman and Bo Wulf note running back remains on the radar. The team kept three — Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell — but Sanders has been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Philadelphia’s receiver setup and a long football layoff did not leave much room for Allen, who has a rather notable career on which to fall back. A two-time U.S. Olympian in the 110-meter hurdles, Allen came to Eagles training camp after a controversial false-start infraction denied the medal favorite the opportunity to vie for gold on his home track at the World Track and Field Championships. The Oregon alum, whose 12.84-second time at a meet this summer is the third-fastest clocking ever in the 110 hurdles, caught a deep touchdown during the preseason but may well move back to his primary sport soon.

Ward became needed during the Eagles’ injury-plagued receiver seasons of 2019 and ’20; he caught 53 passes in the latter campaign. The ex-college QB was not used as much last season, catching seven balls in 17 games. The Eagles kept three rookie UDFAs (cornerback Josh Jobe, safety Reed Blankenship and offensive lineman Josh Sills).

Eagles Add 11 UDFAs

May 6th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

After their best-known 2022 undrafted free agent became known over the weekend (Nevada quarterback Carson Strong), the Eagles announced the rest of their UDFA class. Here is that 11-man contingent:

The Oklahoma backfield continues to produce NFL talent, with Brooks having teamed with the likes of Rhamondre Stevenson and Trey Sermon during his days in Norman. Brooks is one of the rare Sooners to rip off three 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his time at the Big 12 program, notching the first of those slates as a true freshman in a Kyler Murray-led offense. Rather than turning pro after his 2020 COVID-19-related opt-out, Brooks returned to school for his senior season and amassed a career-high 1,253 rushing yards.

Brooks has a path to a potential role with the Eagles, who did not draft a running back and who have starter Miles Sanders entering a contract year. Behind Sanders, the team returns Boston Scott and 2021 fifth-rounder Kenneth Gainwell.

A guard at San Diego State, Dunkle did not allow a sack in 30 games at the Mountain West school. Sills started at four positions up front for Oklahoma State, while Williams will enter the NFL after spending six seasons in college (five at Houston, one as Miami’s starting right tackle). Covey tops that, having been in college since 2015. The 5-foot-8 wideout notched three return touchdowns for the Utes last year. Philly’s class also houses the 2021 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year (Fayad) and the son of longtime Lions defensive tackle Luther Elliss. Sporting a 346-pound frame, Noah Elliss was a three-year starter at Idaho.

The Eagles gave Elliss $250K guaranteed, while Goodrich — a first-team All-ACC cornerback and reigning Cheez-It Bowl MVP — received a $217K guarantee (per Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed, on Twitter). Blackwell will see a $137.5K guarantee, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson tweets, while Kyed adds (via Twitter) Sills will collect $135K guaranteed. The Eagles are guaranteeing Dunkle $110K, Kyed tweets.