Eagles Defense Suffers Second Hit, Places Avonte Maddox on IR

Philadelphia is going to be without its starting slot cornerback for at least the next four games

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles will be without starting slot cornerback Avonte Maddox for at least the next four games.

Philadelphia (8-0) placed the fifth-year veteran on injured reserve with a hamstring injury before Monday night's game against Washington (4-5).

It is the second hit for an Eagles defense that is the NFL's third-ranked defense overall.

Rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis was put on IR at the beginning of the month. He is eligible to return against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 4 if his high ankle sprain is deemed well enough to be activated.

The Eagles now have an open roster spot that could be used to activate tight end Tyree Jackson, whose 21-day practice window expires Wednesday. The Eagles have to activate or lose him for the season.

The question the Eagles would need to answer is: do they really need four tight ends on the roster?

Maddox injured himself on punt coverage in the fourth quarter of the Week 9 game at Houston and immediately hobbled off the field and into the blue injury tent. The Eagles defense was without Josiah Scott in that game as well due to an ankle injury and made due by moving safety Marcus Epps to the slot and inserting K'Von Wallace at safety.

Scott is expected to play against the Commanders and handle the slot duties and the Eagles also elevated practice squad CB Mario Goodrich for the game. 

Goodrich, an undrafted rookie out of Clemson, is expected to make his NFL debut.

The Eagles chose not to elevate defensive tackle Marvin Wilson from the practice squad. Wilson played 19 snaps and made four tackles in his season debut against the Texans on Nov. 3. 

Maddox is regarded as one of the best slot CBs in the NFL and has 27 tackles, one for a loss, and an interception this season, starting five of the six games he's played while playing  63 percent of the team's defensive snaps.

The latter number is affected by two games he missed earlier in the season against Jacksonville and at Arizona with an ankle injury.

Maddox will miss at least the Commanders game, plus upcoming games at Indianapolis, vs. Green Bay, and Tennessee.

Maddox will be eligible to return for the Week 14 game against the New York Giants on Dec. 11.

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen