Eagles’ Avonte Maddox and Boston Scott ruled out for Jaguars game; A.J. Brown returns

The Eagles will be without their starting slot cornerback against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday.

Avonte Maddox was ruled out after missing Friday’s practice with an ankle injury. Maddox tweaked the ankle during Thursday’s practice and was sidelined Friday as a result. The indication is his injury isn’t expected to have a long-term effect; the 26-year-old could return as early as next week according to a team source.

The Eagles will also be without backup running back Boston Scott (rib) for Sunday’s home game, but receiver A.J. Brown and starting guard Landon Dickerson are expected to play after missing time earlier in the week.

Brown missed two days this week for the birth of his son but returned to practice Friday, still sporting a hospital bracelet with the intention of returning to his second child after work.

Maddox’s absence will be a difficult one to compensate for. The 2018 fourth-round pick has played well this season and had an interception in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon requires his slot cornerbacks to execute a number of different responsibilities and the team is thin behind Maddox.

The Eagles have Josiah Scott, Zech McPhearson, and Josh Jobe on the active roster. Scott is the most natural slot corner out of the three, although McPhearson has experience playing inside dating back to college.

The team could also use defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in the slot and replace the converted safety on the back end. Gardner-Johnson played three seasons primarily as a nickel corner for the New Orleans Saints before switching to safety after the Eagles traded for him at the start of the season.

Considering the Jaguars’ receiving corps, led by high-priced slot wideout Christian Kirk, it could also make sense for the Eagles to move Darius Slay inside and play McPhearson in his place. It’s important to note Jaguars receiver Zay Jones is questionable for Sunday with his own ankle injury.

With Scott ruled out, the Eagles will likely have Trey Sermon make his season debut. They have Miles Sanders, Kenny Gainwell, Scott, and Sermon on the active roster. The Eagles claimed the 49ers’ 2021 third-round pick off waivers at the start of the season, but Sermon has been inactive each of the first three games.

Coach Nick Sirianni said the time Sermon has spent in walkthroughs makes the coaching staff confident he has picked up the offense well enough to get playing time. He also credited running backs coach Jemal Singleton for getting the 23-year-old up to speed.

“Those reps add up,” Sirianni said. “Trey has done a great job picking it up, and Jemal has done a great job coaching it, and he has gotten a lot of reps doing it.”

Sermon rushed for more than 700 yards in three of his four college seasons. He played three seasons for Oklahoma, one with Jalen Hurts, before transferring to Ohio State as a senior.

“I’m a physical runner,” the 6-foot, 215-pound Sermon said. “I’m also elusive as well. I pride myself on making the first guy miss, it doesn’t matter if I have to run through them or make a juke move or stiff arm. Like I said, I feel like I’m a very physical back.”

Sermon had 41 carries for 167 yards with San Francisco last season.

“I learned a lot, especially about myself,” he said of his rookie season. “No matter what, I’ll always fight through adversity, I’m even more confident now just because I know that I put the work in this offseason. So I’m just ready for the opportunity.”