The Lions have agreed to re-sign cornerback Rashean Mathis, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). It’ll be a two-year pact worth $3.5MM in total and he’ll earn $2MM in 2015.
Back in February, Lions GM Martin Mayhew said that he would like to retain Mathis for the 2015 season and praised Mathis’ “position versatility”. In 2014, Mathis started all 16 regular season games for the Lions, finishing with 54 total tackles, one interception for a touchdown, and two forced fumbles.
The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) placed him as the 12th best cornerback in the entire NFL last season with an overall score of 9.1. For reference, that posting put him ahead of such notables as Chris Culliver, Brandon Flowers, Aqib Talib, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Mathis earned the minimum salary last season but he’ll earn a paycheck that’s more in line with his performance in 2015. The veteran will celebrate his 35th birthday in August.