The New Orleans Saints will have a reunion with free agent safety Malcolm Jenkins, after agreeing to a deal on Wednesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
The Philadelphia Eagles declined the 11-year veteran’s $7.85 million contract option for the 2020 season on Tuesday. Figures for his new deal have yet to be reported.
“Should have never let him leave to begin with,” Saints head coach Sean Payton told ESPN of bringing Jenkins back.
Jenkins, 32, started all 16 games for the sixth consecutive season in 2019 and tallied 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.
New Orleans’ first-round pick (14th overall) in 2009, Jenkins spent five years with the Saints before joining the Eagles in free agency in 2014.
“Probably one of the bigger mistakes that we’ve made, and you have to ask yourself how did that happen?” Payton had said last year. “Letting him out of the building certainly wasn’t a smart decision.”
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Jenkins won Super Bowl titles with both franchises and has 873 tackles, 10 sacks and 17 interceptions in 167 career games.