Lions Re-sign Maddox, Boost Safety Depth

0:00It's April 6th. This is NFL News Today, AI-powered stories from around the league. I'm Cory with the story. The Detroit Lions just got deeper at safety by resigning veteran defensive back Avanté Maddox on Monday. No word yet on the contract terms, but this move beefs up a position that's been shaky. Maddox, a former fourth round pick, brings that nickel and safety versatility after a strong run with the team last season. He spent his first seven years with the Philadelphia Eagles before jumping to Detroit on a one-year deal worth $1.4 million. Early on, he was mostly a reserve, logging just 43 defensive snaps in the first nine weeks. But when injuries piled up late in the year, Maddox stepped in big time. Coach Dan Campbell loved what he saw, calling him a football guy who played his tail off and put out fires in the secondary. That was especially key after Brian Branch tore his Achilles in week 14 against the Dallas Cowboys. Maddox's hustle helped stabilize things back there.

1:01Now the safety spot is stacked with question marks and competition. Branch might not be ready by week one. Kirby Joseph is nursing a knee issue and they just added Chuck Clark last week. Maddox joins Thomas Harper, Christian Isian, Dan Jackson, and others vying for reps. These guys all flex in nickel corner too, so the Lions have options as they sort through training camp battles and get set for another run.