Just how important Jenkins is to the Eagles was on full display last season, when he played played nine different positions over 1,015 snaps for the Eagles. He lined up in the box, at slot corner, at free safety, all over special teams and even registered some snaps that qualified as being along the defensive line, according to Pro Football Focus.
To put into perspective just how versatile Jenkins was to the Eagles, he played 266 snaps at cornerback last season. No actual cornerback played more than 372 in coverage, meaning Jenkins — the team’s starting safety — played almost as much at cornerback as the team’s actual cornerbacks did while also playing safety. Only three safeties and 32 cornerbacks in the entire NFL spent more time in the slot than Jenkins did.
Former Eagles and 94WIP host Ike Reese reacted to the news on the 94WIP Marks & Reese Show.
"I never been more happier to be wrong about a player than I have about Malcolm Jenkins," Reese said. "I look back six years ago, if I want to keep bringing that up, six years ago when I wanted Jairus Byrd like a lot of guys. Man, I'm so happy they brought Malcolm Jenkins here. We don't have that Super Bowl without Malcolm Jenkins. We talk about Nick Foles and all of those others guys and this that and the other, but when Nick Foles was struggling, you know who was believing in Nick Foles? You know who was confessing to the public that we're gonna be alright with Nick Foles as our quarterback? It was number 27. It was number 27. To me, he's an Eagle. Drafted by the Saints, but he's an Eagle and to me he should be an Eagles Hall Of Famer when it's all said and done. Salute to Malcolm Jenkins, I think, one of the better Eagles over the last 30 years."