Mathis, Eagles reach five-year deal
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Mathis, Eagles reach five-year deal
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Evans Mathis isn't going anywhere after all.
The Eagles and the free agent guard agreed to a five-year on Saturday, the team announced. The deal is worth $25 million in base salary with $7 million guaranteed, an NFL source said. Mathis had offers from the Eagles and the Ravens as of Friday, but flew home to Arizona to mull over his decision.
The Eagles made a "competitive" offer on Friday, a league source said. It's unclear if they had to increase the offer to keep the 30-year old. Mathis, nevertheless, decided to stay in Philly where his career was resurrected.
With Mathis still in the fold the Eagles' improved starting offensive line will remain intact next season. All five starters -- tackles Jason Peters and Todd Herremans, center Jason Kelce, guard Danny Watkins and Mathis -- are signed through 2014.
Mathis started in only 22 games during his first seven seasons with three other teams. But he came to the Eagles as an unheralded free agent last summer and blossomed under the tutelage of line coach Howard Mudd.
Mathis visited Baltimore on Thursday but left the following day without signing a contract - a good sign for the Eagles. In the end, he chose comfort over playing for what would have been his fifth stop in the NFL.
Mathias manipulated a scared Reid into pushing Lurie for the money. Mathias and all of the players know Reid is a desperate coach and will pay, pay, pay to try and keep his job. All you need to do is get another team to show a little interest and Reid panics about losing the player for his big test season. Reid knows if he does not win big this year, how much money is paid after this year won't effect him.— Kioto
He better have sign that deal, he should know better than to leave for another team think he the stuff all because of ONE good productive season. If it weren't for Howard Mudd, this dude still be gaarbage and most likely unheard of.— Ace-Philadelphia- I get a kick out of these dopes offering negative comments about Mathis. "Mathias manipulated ..." Learn how to freaking spell before spewing your vitriol. Ar least then you'll sound like a mostly uneducated moronic goon rather than a complete uneducated moronic goon.— jimqk
- Regarding learning how to spell..."Ar least..."? — Bobphxville
- Simply GREAT! Now a linebacker please...
— envirojoe55 - soulman , Why would eagles put an " out clause " in the contract after the 1st year ????? Your an Idiot !!!!— ingy9
- 5-years of this redneck hating every single one of you. Big John Runyon should demand his jersey back.— Astro Jones
- Happy, but still waiting for LB help. What will come first, War with Iran or Linebacking help?— sammydelphia
- Vick should have more time to throw the ball now. Only problem is, even if the defense tells him what they're going to do, he still won't be able to figure it out!— Geno D
- So you're saying that Vick wouldn't know how to figure out what the defense is going to do even if they tell him. Do you mean in the same way as when people tell you to get a life and you still can't figure it out, even though it has been written in black and white for you..................is that what you mean? — charmaine
- Good news. That would be a big hole to fill.— p-diddy
- ...so now the haters are posting that the birds pay too MUCH?...nice! AR doesn't need the money...he's got a career as the HC or somewhere else in football, broadcasting or maybe it's time to go fishing. AR continues to do a good job.— ziggy
- When he didn't stay in Bmore, I knew he was coming back.— SeenGreen
- Excellent. Worried they'd play it cheap.— Richard Saunders
- All we need now is Peyton Manning, Curtis Lofton, Luke Kuechly, Laron Landry and Mark Barron.— eaglessuck@life
