The Detroit Lions have re-signed veteran Cornerback Rashean Mathis to a 2-year deal worth $3.5 million dollars. This is being reported by Pro Football Talk on Twitter:
35-year-old CB Rashean Mathis returns to Detroit on a 2-year deal; $3.5M total, $2M this year, per source.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 18, 2015
The guaranteed money hasn’t been reported yet, however I would expect that the second season is fully un-guaranteed, mostly due to his advancing age.
Mathis is currently only 34 years old but will be 35 before next season opens, but put together arguably his best season of his career in 2014 in a Detroit Lions uniform. Pro Football Focus rated Mathis the 12th-best cornerback in the league last year. He made only $1 million dollars last year, so that production was an absolute steal.
If Mathis can continue to play at the level he did last season, the Lions should be getting a lot of bang for their buck and should boast a very solid secondary once again. It is very, very likely that he will take a step backwards in the upcoming season, but he is still the best guy they could potentially acquire for as little money as the spent. Don’t be surprised if the Lions spend another mid round pick on a Cornerback and keep Bill Bentley and Nevin Lawson in the Nickel and Dime packages and on special teams.