Malcolm Jenkins wanted a new contract before last season. The veteran safety skipped voluntary workouts in 2019 in hopes of getting one. It never materialized.
Re-joining his team, Jenkins didn't gripe about his contract during the season. After the Philadelphia Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs following Sunday's 17-9 loss to Seattle, the safety reiterated he still wants a new deal.
"I won't be back under the same deal," Jenkins said Monday, per the Philadelphia Inquirer, as Eagles players cleaned out their lockers.
Jenkins has a base salary of $7.6 million in 2020.
"No. I'm not one to beg. I'm a very prideful person," Jenkins added, per ESPN.com. "What I put out this year, what I put on tape, what I've given to this team is more than enough. I can't do any more. For me, I feel good about that -- that that'll be good enough for me to go into this offseason with certainty that I'll be fine."
Jenkins was the Eagles' most reliable secondary players in 2019, playing all 996 regular-season snaps, and all 57 in Sunday's loss. The strong safety compiled 90 tackles, eight passes defended and 3.5 sacks in 17 starts during the campaign. Jenkins hasn't missed a single start since signing in Philly in 2014.
The $8.75 million annual average salary on Jenkins' current contract places him 11th among safeties. The 32-year-old believes he's done enough to warrant a bump. The question is whether the Eagles' brass agrees.
"I think it's a combination of all those things," Jenkins said of balancing the desire to get paid with playing with a winning organization. "I want to be valued. I want to get compensated for what I think I'm worth. But I want to win. I want to be in a good locker room. 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."
Jenkins will weigh his stance. The Eagles will weigh theirs. If the sides can't agree, we could have another offseason standoff on our hands.
