In a passing league like the NFL, you can never have too many defensive backs. Good defensive backs. That’s one reason the Philadelphia Eagles should bring back Avonte Maddox.

He’s good, very good. He also has trouble staying healthy, and I get that. 

The Eagles do, too, and that’s why they released him because it didn’t make financial sense to take a $9.6 million salary-cap charge for a player who had played in just 13 of a possible 34 games the past two seasons.

The team saved $1.9M by letting him go on March 7.

Maddox, who will turn 28 at the end of the month, is still looking for a job, so other teams know the injury history. His style of fearless and aggressive play has led to several surgeries through the years that involved a pectoral muscle and a foot to go along with a frightening concussion suffered early in the 2019 season in Green Bay when he was unable to move for about 20 seconds.

When healthy, Maddox is productive and has proven to be one of the top slot cornerbacks in the game. He's also a good teammate and presence in the locker room.

In 64 career games (38 starts), Maddox totaled 245 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 31 pass deflections, four interceptions, three sacks, eight forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He's also played in seven playoff games with the team since being drafted in the fourth round out of Pittsburgh. Even in just four games last year, he made eight solo tackles with an interception.

Maddox's situation resembles that of former linebacker Jordan Hicks. The Eagles' third-round pick in 2015, Hicks was extremely talented and is still in the league playing at a high level, but in his final two seasons in Philly, 2017 and 2018, he played just 19 of a possible 32 games.

He played 16 games only once in his four seasons with the Eagles, even getting hurt on his honeymoon.

Since Hicks left, he has played every game for four straight years.

Maybe that will be Maddox, who also has position versatility teams like the Eagles crave. He can play outside and safety, too, having done both when called upon since being drafted in the fourth round back in 2018.