3-Time Pro Bowl S Malcolm Jenkins' Contract Option Won't Be Exercised by Eagles

Malcolm Jenkins' tenure in Philadelphia is over.

The Eagles announced Tuesday they would not exercise the safety's option for the 2020 season and that the two parties would be cutting ties:

Jenkins released a statement thanking the team:

Jenkins, who had a season left on his four-year, $35 million contract and ranked 10th among safeties in total projected earnings for 2020 (via Spotrac), hinted last June he was looking to rework the deal.

"I feel like I've out-played that contract. ... I think like any other business, you look at what the market value is, and based off your production, what your value is. For me, I'm not out to be — when you're under contract, you can't be the highest-paid out there, nor do I want to be. But you want to be in a ballpark of what your value is."

Jenkins has earned all three of his career Pro Bowl selections since joining the Eagles in 2014. He's also a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning one title with Philly and the other with the New Orleans Saints, who selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

The 32-year-old Ohio State product registered 97 total tackles, eight passes defended, three forced fumbles, an interception and a sack in 2018. Pro Football Focus graded him as the league's 16th-best safety that year.

Jenkins tallied 81 tackles, eight passes defended and four forced fumbles across 16 games in 2019.

He's also been a model of durability since joining the Eagles, playing in every regular-season game during each of the previous six seasons.

All told, Jenkins has continued to perform at a high level in recent years, and his loss will be felt in Philadelphia. The Eagles face the prospect of needing to replace both starting safeties with Rodney McLeod also a free agent. The team did re-sign cornerback Jalen Mills to a one-year deal, however, with the plan to move him to safety, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.