Malcolm Jenkins: All is Quiet on Contract
It’s all quiet on the Malcolm Jenkins front, so said the Eagles safety himself on Friday night when he went on radio row in Miami to join 97.3 ESPN’s The Sports Bash.
“I finished the season out and felt like I had a good year, and it’s just been quiet, so I really don't know,” Jenkins told the radio hosts, just two days before Super Bowl LIV.
The day after the Eagles season ended with a wildcard playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Jenkins said he would not return on his current contract. He had hoped to negotiate a new deal during the 2019 year, but nothing came to pass even though he stayed away from the team during the voluntary OTA portion of the offseason schedule.
“I won’t be back on the same deal,” said Jenkins as the Eagles cleaned out their lockers on Jan. 6 “That won’t happen. I think like anything else you set your value on the market. The market is good for safeties right now. I consider myself being in the top tier of that group and I’d like to be compensated for it.”
If the Eagles and Jenkins can’t find common ground on a new contract, and the team opts not to trade him, Jenkins will be a summer holdout.
"Honestly, I was hoping something would get done during the season, it didn't," Jenkins told The Sports Bash. “I really didn't let it bother me, I continued to play, didn't complain, even though you go through every game without security, you are taking a risk. Especially with everyone else getting hurt."
Jenkins is scheduled to earn $7.75 million in the final year of a contract extension he signed in 2016.
"I do know that hopefully, it will work itself out one way or another," said Jenkins on radio row. "I would love to be in Philly, made it my home, love the community, love my teammates there, and the organization, but you know business is business."
Jenkins has started all 96 games since joining the Eagles as a free agent signing from the New Orleans Saints.
He has played virtually every snap in those 96 games as well, but he just turned 32 and the Eagles said following their 9-8 season that they are trying to get younger so stay tuned as the offseason progresses.
