Lions' Rashean Mathis on role as mentor: 'That's what I'm here for'

Easily the most senior member of the Detroit Lions' defense, Rashean Mathis will be expected to help bring along some of the team's younger talent at the cornerback position this season.

Mathis, 34, understands that passing along the knowledge he's gained at the NFL level is an important part of the job at this stage of his career.

"That's what I'm here for, to pass on anything and everything that I can," Mathis told Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "That hasn't changed. To do what was done to me, and that's to be a good mentor."

Now entering his 13th season in the NFL, and his third since joining the Lions as a free agent in 2013, Mathis is not only playing a leadership role in the locker room, but he's also still contributing at a high level in coverage.

His age and extensive playing career should suggest that retirement is around the corner, however, Mathis started all 16 games for the Lions' third-ranked defense last season.

With the Lions having lost defensive stalwarts Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley to free agency earlier in the offseason, Mathis's presence both on and off the field becomes that much more important to the unit's success.