Ahead of the start of the new league year next Wednesday, the Eagles have released veteran cornerback Avonte Maddox.

The team's second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Maddox has been a valuable contributor in the secondary at various positions in his six seasons with the team.

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.

The Detroit native's aggressive and fearless style of play more than made up for his 5-foot-9, 184-pound frame. Maddox was named by his teammates as the Eagles' recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award this past season for his resiliency in the face of injury.

Known for his jovial, gregarious nature and his tight friendship with fellow draft classmate Dallas Goedert, Maddox made an instant impact in his rookie campaign with 11 starts (including playoffs) with starts at safety and late in the season at outside cornerback.

Maddox moved to nickel cornerback in 2019, went back to the outside in 2020, and moved inside again in 2021. In that year, he established himself as one of the league's best nickel cornerbacks, grading out as a Top 20 overall cornerback by Pro Football Focus and earning a contract extension.

This past year, Maddox battled back from a pectoral injury suffered in Week 2 to return for the final two regular-season games and the playoffs. He had 12 tackles, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble in the regular season.

Maddox is the second starter in the secondary that the team has released this offseason, along with safety Kevin Byard.