The Eagles announced on Tuesday that they will not exercise the option on Malcolm Jenkins’ contract, allowing their defensive leader of the last six years to walk.
And it won’t be easy to replace him.
Jenkins, 32, will become a free agent when the new league year starts at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and the Eagles will begin a new chapter in their franchise, one that won’t include Jenkins.
The Eagles released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:
Malcolm Jenkins has been an outstanding player for us and we are proud of everything he accomplished both on and off the field during his time in Philadelphia. Malcolm was a great teammate and leader, as well as one of the toughest and most reliable players to ever play in our city. After thorough discussion with Malcolm and his agent, Ben Dogra, both sides agreed on the difficult decision to turn the page on what was an incredible six-year relationship. We wish Malcolm and his family all the best as he pursues his next opportunity.
At the end of the 2019 season, Jenkins did not mince words when he publicly stated that he was not going to play on his current contract. So even if the Eagles picked up his option that would have paid him $7.6 million in 2020, Jenkins made it clear he wanted an extension and a raise.
That obviously left the Eagles in a tough situation. On one hand, they desperately wanted to use this offseason to get younger. But Jenkins had been the Eagles’ defensive leader for over half a decade and ever since the franchise let Brian Dawkins get away, they have been hyper aware of these situations.
NFL
While the Eagles wanted Jenkins back, they ultimately weren’t willing to part with what that would take. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.
“I want to be valued, I want to be compensated for what I think I’m worth, but I want to win, I want to be in a good locker room,” Jenkins said in January. “I’m a prideful person who enjoys to compete and win, but I’m not a dummy either.
“At this point in my career, I weigh all those things before I make any decision.”
During his six years with the Eagles, Jenkins was a three-time Pro Bowler, unquestioned leader on his side of the ball and almost never left the field in an era where the Eagles finally won their first Super Bowl.
Since his arrival in Philadelphia as a free agent in 2014, Jenkins played 6,818 of 6,908 total defensive snaps (98.7%) in the regular season and playoffs. He missed a total of 90 and 60 of those came in the meaningless regular season finale in 2017. And he played on special teams all six years.
On top of all that, Jenkins played safety, nickel cornerback and linebacker. That versatility allowed the Eagles to get by during some lean defensive years.
Simply put: Jenkins will go down as one of the greatest free agent acquisitions in franchise history. Heck, he’ll go down as an all-time great in franchise history. Jenkins ended up playing for the Eagles longer than he did in New Orleans, where he began his career.
In his six seasons with the Eagles, Jenkins filled up stat sheets: 11 INTs, 4 TDs, 58 PD, 12 FF, 6 FR, 515 tackles, 32 TFLs, 5 1/2 sacks and 15 QB hits.
Aside from all that, Jenkins was a steady leader in the locker room as well as a staunch supporter of social justice and an active philanthropist in the community. He had every quality football teams are looking for in players.
Now, the Eagles have the unenviable task of trying to replace him. They began that process on Tuesday by re-signing Jalen Mills to a one-year contract under the reported premise that he will be some sort of hybrid safety/cornerback.
But there is still plenty of work to be done. We’re talking about replacing an all-time great here.
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