Philadelphia Eagles Safety Malcolm Jenkins Snubbed in Pro Bowl Voting

It's no real surprise Malcolm Jenkins' invitation to the Pro Bowl got lost in the mail. He simply didn't put up the numbers and doesn't possess the reputation of the safeties who were selected.

Yet anybody who's watched the Philadelphia Eagles all season long knows Jenkins has played as well as any safety in the NFL in 2015. In fact, not only has the seventh-year veteran been playing safety at a high level, he's been serving as the defense's primary nickel cornerback, too.

The bottom line is Jenkins got snubbed.

At the end of the day, much of the voting boils down to statistics and reputation. With just two interceptions and seven pass breakups, Jenkins didn't pile up the numbers. And as far as reputation is concerned, his name has never come up in the conversation of the top safeties around the league.

PLAYER	TKL	PD	INT	FF
E. Berry (KC)	58	8	2	0
K. Chancellor (SEA)	74	4	2	1
M. Jenkins (PHI)	94	7	2	3
T. Mathieu (ARI)	89	17	5	1
R. Nelson (CIN)	64	11	8	0
E. Thomas (SEA)	62	8	4	1
C. Woodson (OAK)	65	9	5	1

Until this year, that is. Picks aside, Jenkins' body of work is stronger than you might realize. His team-leading 94 tackles is good for eighth among all safeties, while his three forced fumbles are tied for the most among all defensive backs. None of the six Pro Bowlers equals Jenkins in either category.

Pro Football Focus also gives Jenkins the second-highest cumulative score at his position for 2015, again above all Pro Bowlers. He grades out second in coverage and fifth in stopping the run as well.

The latter is an area where Jenkins has really shined this year, and something that often goes overlooked by Pro Bowl voters. He's been so good at playing around the line of scrimmage and getting into into the backfield to make stops for losses or no gain.

Add that to his list of duties. Safety, slot cornerback and, for all intents and purposes, linebacker.

Jenkins' versatility alone should've warranted consideration for the Pro Bowl. The fact that the Eagles didn't carry a cornerback on their roster that they trusted enough to cover slot receivers, that the job has fallen on Jenkins for most of the season, is a huge testament to the safety's ability.

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Perhaps the most disappointing part for Jenkins is he could've come up with the numbers that would've given him the notoriety. There's no denying he's dropped multiple interceptions this season, stone hands being one of the few knocks against him.

Then again, it's not as if he's been languishing in anonymity, either. Jenkins was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the New England Patriots in Week 13, largely on the strength of his 99-yard pick-six of quarterback Tom Brady.

Too little, too late I suppose.

The other question is who did Jenkins deserve to make it over? Only six safeties get in, and he's not even the only one who was snubbed as a result.

That's where reputation comes into play. Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks is a phenomenal player, but he held out for three games amid a contract dispute and hasn't exactly dominated week in, week out. Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer, but did he make the level of impact that Jenkins has?

That's life, and who knows, maybe Jenkins will slip in as an alternate. Regardless, he probably isn't too worried about it.

After all, Jenkins may not be getting a free trip to Honolulu, but he'll probably be able to take one himself soon enough. He's entering the final year of his contract in 2016, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Eagles wanted to reach an extension before the 28-year-old reaches the market.

There's no doubt Jenkins will take a payday over playing in a meaningless football game.