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The Detroit Lions continued to make changes to their roster on Saturday afternoon by signing cornerback Rashean Mathis and releasing safety Trevor Coston. Mathis was in town for a visit with the team, and the two sides were able to get a deal done just before Saturday's practice began.
Mathis, 32, is entering his 11th season in the NFL. He spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a starter throughout his time in Jacksonville, although he only made four starts in 12 games last year. Earlier in his career, in 2006, Mathis was named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team.
Coston exits the Lions after signing with them at the beginning of the month. He was nothing more than a camp body, so it's no surprise he was let go to make room for Mathis.
It will be interesting to see what effect the Mathis signing has on who will make the team at cornerback. Given what happened against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, it's conceivable that Ron Bartell's spot could be in jeopardy if Mathis plays well the next couple weeks. The Lions clearly haven't been happy with the play of their cornerbacks, so the door should be open for Mathis to not only potentially make the 53-man roster, but to be a part of the rotation at cornerback as well.