Rashean

Mathis

The second-year player made a big impact last weekend, with an interception and five pass knockdowns. Juran Bolden will be demoted.

Mathis expects to be ready for the start of training camp, which is what the majority of NFL players say in the offseason even if it’s overly optimistic. Mathis will be eight months removed from surgery by the beginning of August.

“Certainly those are players that we see being a part of our future,” Smith said. The Jaguars have plenty of room under the cap to sign their own key free agents and still make a run at a wide receiver. Lowery solidified one of the NFL’s poorest secondaries after coming over in a trade with the Jets.

Mathis is coming off a late-season ACL tear and Ross signed a relatively large offseason contract, so the latter figures to be the favorite. Coach Mike Mularkey indicated that the loser of the Mathis-Ross battle will be the Jaguars’ nickel back. Ross should cover the slot on passing downs regardless.

Mathis had surgery on his left ACL on November 28. “There is still rehabbing to do,” he acknowledged. “I’m ahead of schedule, but there’s still a haul to go. From here, it’s about the trust whoever will have in seeing guys come back from this injury.” Mathis said his preference would be to finish his career in Jacksonville. The injury will bring down his market price.

Mathis is going on age 32 and recovering from a late-November ACL tear. The Jags must be confident that he’ll be ready to go by Week 1, because this is a pretty steep price to pay for an aging corner with major knee concerns. Mathis has just two interceptions in his last 27 games. It’s a nice story that the career Jaguar is staying in Jacksonville, but this isn’t a signing that’s particularly easy to like. The Florida Times Union does assure that the contract is “incentive laden.”

“Derek and Rashean [Mathis], up until their injuries, I thought they were playing very good football,” said GM Gene Smith. Coach Mike Mularkey acknowledged that Mathis, coming off ACL surgery, will battle Ross for the left cornerback job.

His return is questionable. Mathis was helped off the field and immediately received medial attention on his left knee from the Jaguars training staff. Drew Coleman will replace him in the lineup.

The extent of the damage is unclear, but any time the ACL is compromised it’s scary. Mathis has been part of a turnaround in the Jags’ No. 5 pass defense this season, starting eight games. He was replaced yesterday by Drew Coleman.

Further testing revealed that Mathis tore his left ACL in Sunday’s win over the Colts. Drew Coleman and Will Middleton are candidates to step in as the starting corner opposite Derek Cox, downgrading the Jaguars’ No. 5 pass defense. It’s especially bad timing for Mathis, who is set to become a free agent after this season.