Possible Steelers Slot CB Target Avonte Maddox Re-Signs with Eagles
The Pittsburgh Steelers need some defensive back help. They need a slot cornerback. When it comes to needs, slot cornerback is a hole that is near the top of the listt and they are likely to be filled in the next month.
And after the Eagles just released Avonte Maddox, there is a certain connection there that could make sense for the Steelers. Aside from the fact that Maddox went to Pitt and the team will know more about him from the inside, Maddox also has those Andy Weidl connections that have come in handy for many free-agent additions in the last year. Guys like Isaac Seumalo have made that leap to the Steelers because of the Weidl factor. But it was reported on Thursday that Maddox will re-sign with the Eagles, meaning the Steelers will not sign him and fill that void.
Since his rookie season 2018, Maddox has become an integral player within the Eagles scheme, but injuries keep catching up to him. He played in just four games this past season. But he is still just 27, and when he is on the field, Maddox has proven to be a feisty player who can make plays on the football. For the Steelers, in particular, Maddox is a guy who can blitz off the edge and add another run defender in the secondary. He could fill that run-down nickel cornerback that they lacked last year, thus forcing Minkah Fitzpatrick into that role.
Donte Jackson’s addition makes the need less urgent. But Levi Wallace, Patrick Peterson, James Pierre, and Chandon Sullivan are all no longer on the team. Meanwhile, Cory Trice, Darius Rush, and Joey Porter Jr. create plenty of young depth, but they will need some veterans to guide them. The team will likely add in the NFL Draft given how deep this cornerback class is, too, but their decision on Peterson, and whether to bring him back or not, will decide just how urgent their needs are at cornerback.
Maddox could have been one of those positive additions in free agency, largely because of the scheme fit and the need at slot cornerback. In addition, he will not cost that much, so the Steelers should be able to find someone solid in the slot at a cost-effective price, even with Maddox off the market.
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