Jenkins reacts to the trade talk.

A few weeks ago, a report emerged that the Eagles tried to trade Malcolm Jenkins (along with a few draft picks) in exchange for Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Howie Roseman later went on SportsRadio 94WIP and didn’t deny Jenkins came up in trade talks but did say that “it didn’t make a lot of sense to do something there that would hurt the team when we could address it in a different way.”

Now, for the first time since the trade rumors emerged, Jenkins has weighed in. The veteran safety revealed Roseman reached out to him in order to put him at ease, via ESPN’s Tim McManus:

"His message was that they want me to be an Eagle. They love what I'm doing on the field, they love what I'm doing in the community and they want me to be a big part of what they do from a long-term standpoint. But at the same time, if somebody is going to offer something ridiculously high for me that he thinks is in the best interest of the team then he would definitely consider, which he would with anybody. And I understand that. So that doesn't give me any anxiety or any worry."

Jenkins also added that the conversations didn’t “bother” or “surprise” him since he doesn’t think he’s an “irreplaceable player.”

It’s good for the Eagles that Jenkins has shown patience and understanding in this situation. Some players might have gotten alienated or upset about being mentioned in trade rumors, especially a player of Jenkins’ caliber. He’s not only one of the best players on the team but an important leader as well. The Eagles certainly don’t want things to be awkward for him and the team.

Jenkins’ understanding is another step in putting this trade rumor behind us. The trade ultimately didn’t happen and now everyone is focused on moving forward.