After skipping voluntary OTAs and fueling speculation about his status for the summer, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has reported for his team physical and will be in attendance for the team's mandatory minicamp, which kicks off on Tuesday. ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter had the report.
Jenkins has two years left on his current contract and is slated to make just over $8 million this season. His current contract ranks him as the ninth-highest paid safety in the league. He has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons and has been a stalwart for the Eagles defense. He's acknowledged that his absence from voluntary team activities was at least partially related to contract issues, which led many to believe that Jenkins would hold out of mandatory activities as well.
That proved not to be the case and there are now reports that Jenkins and the team are engaged in talks to get the issue resolved. The tone of those talks likely played a role in Jenkins' reporting to camp, but his presence also saves him a hefty fine.
Jenkins' impact on the team can't be overstated. He's been huge both on the field and in the locker room and it's incredibly encouraging to have him report for camp.
Not only are the Eagles better with Jenkins on the field, but the last thing the team wants or needs is the distraction of a contract dispute with one of its best players lingering over preparations for a season that approaches with lofty expectations and the lingering bad blood that can accompany such a dispute.
For now all is right in Eagles land, and hopefully Jenkins' show of good faith will help the situation get resolved sooner rather than later. Regardless, it's great to have him in attendance at minicamp.
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