Philadelphia Eagles: Malcolm Jenkins’ Extension Well-Earned
By Jeremy Klump
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins earned his new contract extension through hard work and being consistent.
On Monday afternoon, Alex Smith of PhiladelphiaEagles.com informed us that the team had signed Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins to a new contract.
The new deal will keep Jenkins a member of the Philadelphia Eagles through 2020. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the four-year extension is worth $35 million with $21 million in guarantees. Rapoport states the Eagles now have Jenkins locked up for five years at $40.5 million.
Jenkins has been a rock for the Eagles secondary since he signed his original three-year, $15.5 million deal, but the Eagles knew they needed to get something done as he entered the final year of his contract.
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Philadelphia has been known to miss on free agents, but Jenkins was one of their best signings in recent years and has outplayed the original contract he signed with the Eagles.
In 2015, Jenkins showed he was one of the best safeties in the entire NFL, he graded out as the second best safety on Pro Football Focus, and showed the high level he can play at. Also in 2015, Jenkins played the most defensive snaps (1,235) out of any player on the Eagles defense, and as Field Yates of ESPN stated, Jenkins played the most snaps out of any other player in the entire NFL in 2014 and 2015.
This contract extension is not a case where a player was awarded because of the lack of depth at a position, but it is an extension that was well-deserved by the former Ohio State Buckeye.
Jenkins dominated in 2015, compiling a team-high 87 tackles, intercepting two passes while returning one of them (courtesy of Tom Brady) 99 yards for a touchdown against the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots at Foxborough in Week 13. Jenkins also forced three fumbles and recovered a fumble this past season and his impressive statistics earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
The Eagles coaching staff has changed a whole lot since Jenkins originally signed there. Chip Kelly was fired and replaced by Doug Pederson for the Eagles head coach. Pederson brought his own staff in, which meant Jenkins’ 2015 defensive coordinator Billy Davis was out and former Detroit Lions head coach and Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was in.
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The Eagles were smart to lock up Jenkins for five more years because he will be able to provide consistency for their defense. He has not missed a game since joining the Eagles and that consistency is hard to find at any position. Jenkins’ consistency on the field is matched perfectly by his unique leadership he brings to the Birds. Jenkins is looked at as one of, if not the, team spokesmen, so Pederson was smart to lock him up as they transition from Pederson and away from Kelly.
Jenkins joins the party of current Eagles players to re-sign since Pederson took over, which includes defensive end Vinny Curry, tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, and former first round pick and starting right tackle Lane Johnson.
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The Eagles still have not done anything with their other safety, Walter Thurmond, who also played exceptionally well in 2015. But no matter what they do with Thurmond, or at the other safety position, the Eagles have Jenkins locked up for the foreseeable future.