Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis (ACL surgery) will make his preseason debut Thursday.

Mathis has been practicing all camp, but sat out the Jaguars' first two exhibition games. He's nine months removed from tearing his ACL. "We definitely don't feel like we're rushing anything. I've been practicing and busting my butt doing all the right things on and off the field," Mathis said. Mathis is expected to start opposite Derek Cox, with Aaron Ross handling nickel duties.

Jaguars.com's John Oehser expects a position battle between CBs Rashean Mathis and Aaron Ross.

Mathis (ACL surgery) fully expects Mathis to start opposite of Derek Cox if he's healthy. If not, Ross could pounce on the job. Either way, the loser figures to take on slot work in nickel packages. Pro Football Focus rated both players as mediocre performers during the 2011 season, with both proving to be better against the run than in coverage.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis (ACL surgery) has been cleared to participate in next week's mandatory minicamp.

He received clearance after a Monday meeting with his doctor. It sounds like Mathis won't go full steam next week out of an abundance of caution, but he's now all but certain to be 100 percent for camp.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis (ACL surgery) is "running, cutting, jumping and lifting" at OTAs.

Mathis has yet to be given the green light to practice without restriction, but believes he could get it as early as June 4. Mathis has long been adamant that he would be ready for camp, and there's little reason to doubt it at this point.

Coach Mike Mularkey believes CB Rashean Mathis (ACL surgery) may be able to practice in June.

June will mark six months since he underwent surgery. The Jags expect Mathis to be ready for training camp, though DE Aaron Kampman (ACL surgery) remains behind schedule. The hope is that DT Tyson Alualu (knee surgery) will join Mathis for some level of participation next month.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis has begun running and cutting in his recovery from ACL surgery.

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.

Jaguars re-signed CB Rashean Mathis to a one-year, $5 million contract.

Mathis is going on age 32 and recovering from a torn left ACL, which was suffered on November 28. The Jaguars 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 cornerback 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 is not a signing that's particularly easy to like.

Free agent CB Rashean Mathis (ACL surgery) admits he won't be 100 percent when the signing period begins on March 13.

Mathis had surgery on his left ACL on November 28. "There is still rehabbing to do," he ackowledged. "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.

Rashean Mathis said he would be open to returning to the Jaguars next season and wants to finish his career in Jacksonville.

''I definitely would rather play here than anywhere else,'' Mathis said. ''The things that I can control, I will control, and that's my rehab, that's getting back healthy. If it's meant to be, it will be.'' Mathis is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in last week's game against the Colts and is working with renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews to perform replacement surgery on November 28. Mathis had been a big part of Jacksonville's No. 5 rated pass defense prior to the injury and will likely still covet value on the open market if proven to be healthy.

Jaguars will place CB Rashean Mathis (knee) on injured reserve, ending his season.

Further testing revealed that Mathis tore his ACL in Sunday's win over the Colts. Drew Coleman is likely 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.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis sustained an ACL injury in Sunday's win over the Colts, a source tells the Florida Times Union.

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.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis was forced from Sunday's game against the Colts with an apparent knee injury.

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.

Coach Jack Del Rio said that CB Rashean Mathis is having one of his best camps in years.

Mathis' mediocre play last season was a big reason the Jags ranked 28th in the league against the pass. Now in a contract year, the former Pro Bowler is unsurprisingly playing with renewed focus. With pass rusher Matt Roth and free safety Dawan Landry now in town, Jacksonville figures to be slightly better in pass defense this season.

The Jaguars are not expected to go after any big-name cornerbacks once the transaction freeze is lifted.

Rashean Mathis and David Cox appear set to again be the Jaguars' starting corners in 2011. Mathis is coming off another fairly pedestrian season, as he tallied just one interception in 2010, but will make $4.45 million in the final year of his contract this season.

Disgruntled CB Rashean Mathis reported to training camp Thursday after skipping the majority of offseason work.

"I want to finish my career here," Mathis said. "It has never been a secret." He has a funny way of showing it. Mathis is owed $3.95M in 2010 and $4.55M in 2011 after signing a five-year, $25.5M extension in 2005. The compensation is more than fair for a corner whose play has slipped the past two seasons.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio revealed that he's had no contact recently with disgruntled CB Rashean Mathis.

"I've really not given it a lot of thought," added Del Rio. "I'm spending all of my energy working the guys that are here (at OTAs)." Mathis wants a raise on his $3.95 million scheduled salary, but hasn't earned it and won't get one.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis is still not at OTAs while hoping the team upgrades and/or extends his contract.

On top of Mathis coming off a mediocre season, coach Jack Del Rio has stated publicly that the cornerback will not be receiving an extension. Thus, Mathis isn't doing himself much good by staging a voluntary workout "holdout." We suspect he'll return in time for training camp, but you never know.

Rashean Mathis' demands for a new contract will "fall on deaf ears" with the Jaguars front office, confirms Gene Frenette of the Florida Times Union.

Mathis has absolutely no leverage, especially after he was outplayed by teammate Derek Cox for much of last season. There are two years left on Mathis' deal and he'll almost certainly honor those years.

Jaguars.com's Vic Ketchman writes that he "has no doubt" disgruntled CB Rashean Mathis will end up honoring his contract this season.

As Ketchman notes, the OTAs Mathis is skipping are voluntary. Signed through 2011 and coming off a mediocre season, Mathis possesses little in the way of leverage toward a lucrative extension. He's due $3.95M this year.

Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis is skipping voluntary OTAs, and has informed team officials that he wants a new contract.

The Jags don't have another mandatory workout until training camp, so Mathis could conceivably skip the rest of the offseason without fear of a fine. Coach Jack Del Rio said Monday that Jacksonville will not offer Mathis a new deal. Mathis is signed through 2011, and has missed 12 games due to injury over the past three seasons. He also turns 30 before the season and has arguably been supplanted as the Jags' No. 1 corner by Derek Cox.