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Slot cornerback Avonte Maddox returns to Eagles practice

Maddox missed the last four weeks with a toe injury suffered on Christmas Eve. He would give the Eagles' secondary some versatility if he can return vs. the 49ers.

Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox (29) brings down Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on Dec. 24, the day Maddox was injured.
Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox (29) brings down Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on Dec. 24, the day Maddox was injured.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
    by EJ Smith
    Published 

Eagles slot cornerback Avonte Maddox returned to practice Wednesday at the NovaCare Complex for the first time in nearly a month.

After missing the last four weeks with a toe injury suffered on Christmas Eve against the Dallas Cowboys, Maddox was listed as a limited participant in practice on the Eagles injury report. The Eagles held a walk-through Wednesday afternoon, meaning the injury report is an estimation of a player’s availability if the team held a regular practice session.

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. 49ers: Breaking down a key player on each team

Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has filled in for Maddox at the nickel cornerback position the last two games and has played well, but Maddox would give the Eagles a slight boost in versatility.

Undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship has taken Gardner-Johnson’s usual spot as the weakside safety in the Eagles defense during Maddox’s absence. If Gardner-Johnson returns to the back end with Maddox in the fold, he would give the Eagles greater flexibility matching up, especially against an offense as versatile as the 49ers’, entering Sunday’s NFC championship game.