The Detroit Lions will bring back veteran safety Avonte Maddox next season.
The Lions announced on social media Monday afternoon the team agreed to a contract with Maddox. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Maddox played in 14 games for the Lions last season. He posted 32 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss. Maddox also had four pass defenses, one interception and one forced fumble.
The veteran defensive back made three starts for Detroit during the 2025 campaign.
After the team announced Maddox’s return Monday, MLive.com’s Kory Woods called the re-signing “significant” for the Lions secondary.
Maddox played 342 defensive snaps for the Lions last season. He’s played at least that amount on defense in all of his eight NFL campaigns but one.
Maddox will also bring back his special teams experience to Detroit next season. He lined up for 88 special teams snaps during 2025.
Lions Re-Sign Defensive Back Avonte Maddox
The Lions added Maddox in a minor deal during 2025 NFL free agency. It turned out to be a very important addition for Detroit because of all the injuries the team experienced again in the secondary last year.
Maddox played a lot of different spots for the Lions defense. For the most part, though, Maddox focused on free safety.
That differed from his role over seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. As a rookie in 2018, he mostly played free safety. But beginning in 2019, Maddox played mostly in the slot.
With the Lions, Maddox played 248 snaps at free safety and 67 snaps at strong safety. He lined up for 18 snaps in the slot.
With Maddox now set to return, he could provide depth in multiple places. But he will likely be back on the team’s safety depth chart given his role last season.
Over eight NFL seasons, Maddox has registered 302 combined tackles, including 14 tackles for loss. He’s also recorded 40 pass defenses, nine forced fumbles, five interceptions and three sacks.
At Pro Football Focus last season, Maddox registered a 79.1 overall grade. He excelled the most in run defense and coverage.
Lions Safety Depth Entering 2026 NFL Draft
Technically, Maddox isn’t an addition. But one might consider him that since nearly the first month of free agency he wasn’t on the Detroit roster.
With that in mind, Maddox is the third safety the Lions had added this offseason. Detroit also signed Christian Izien and Chuck Clark since the start of 2026 NFL free agency.
That should give the Lions strong safety depth. But the team has significant questions around the healthy of projected starters Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
Joseph missed the final 11 games of last season because of a left knee injury. Branch ruptured his right Achilles tendon during Week 14.
Neither player is guaranteed to be in the starting lineup at the start of the 2026 campaign.
With Maddox back, the Lions added key, familiar depth in case either Joseph or Branch aren’t ready for the beginning of 2026.
If both safeties return for the start of the season, Maddox will compete with Izien, Clark, Dan Jackson, Thomas Harper and Loren Strickland for playing time. Maddox could also move back to the slot and contribute on special teams.
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