DB Malcolm Jenkins (All B1G, All-American, Thorpe Award, All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion)

[Buckskin86]

Saints not expecting Jenkins in camp anytime soon
By BRETT MARTEL (AP)

METAIRIE, La. ? Saints top draft choice Malcolm Jenkins did not report to training camp with the rest of the team and general manager Mickey Loomis said he was pessimistic that Jenkins would be signed to a contract any time soon.

Loomis said Thursday night that he has not spoken with Jenkins' agent, Ben Dogra, since last week, when the Saints made their initial offer to the cornerback out of Ohio State.

The Associated Press: Saints not expecting Jenkins in camp anytime soon

New Orleans Saints first-round pick Malcolm Jenkins remains unsigned going into first day of training camp
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday July 30, 2009

New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said Thursday that first-round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins remains unsigned on the eve of the first practice of training camp practice.

"There's no progress at all on Malcolm," Loomis said.

Jenkins, the 14th pick in the first round out of Ohio State, is in New Orleans working out on his own.

Coach Sean Payton said he thinks Jenkins is a smart player and can catch up.

"He's someone that's got a pretty good football IQ," Payton said

Payton added that cornerback is one of the team's deepest positions and that every rep is critical, especially for a first-year player like Jenkins, who is expected to see time at cornerback and safety.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/07/new_orleans_saints_firstround.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Jenkins a no-show
Metairie, La., Thursday, July 30, 2009.

METAIRIE ? The Saints begin training camp with two practices today, but don?t expect to see first-round draft choice Malcolm Jenkins on the field.

In fact, General Manager Mickey Loomis said Thursday night that he?s ?very pessimistic? about getting Jenkins, a cornerback from Ohio State, signed any time in ?the near future.?

The only player who didn?t report Thursday was Jenkins, a cornerback from Ohio State who was selected 14th. Only eight of the 32 first-round picks have signed, and the closest to Jenkins? slot was Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who was picked seventh.

Loomis said the Saints presented their first contract offer to Jenkins? representatives, but hadn?t gotten a response. He said that if the ?magnitude of increase? in contracts signed by other first-round choices thus far continues, New Orleans will have a ?real issue.?

2theadvocate.com | Sports | Jenkins a no-show — Baton Rouge, LA

New Orleans Saints' negotiations with Malcolm Jenkins stall
by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
Thursday July 30, 2009

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said he did not anticipate a quick resolution to stalled contract negotiations with the team's first-round draft pick, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, who did not report to training camp Thursday.

The Saints practice twice today at the team's training facility, at 8:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Both are open to the public.

Barring a major turn of events overnight, Jenkins will not be on the practice field. Loomis said he made a preliminary contract proposal to Jenkins' agent, Ben Dogra of CAA, last Friday and has not heard back from him.

"I talked with Ben and (CAA associate) Tom Condon on a two-way hookup, and that's the only time we've talked," Loomis said. "So I would say there's no progress at all on Malcolm. I'm pessimistic in terms of having anything done with him in the near future."

Jenkins, the 14th overall pick, is one of nine first-round draft picks represented by CAA. He is sandwiched in the first round by two unsigned players who also are represented by CAA -- defensive end Brian Orakpo of the Washington Redskins at No. 13 and outside linebacker Brian Cushing of the Houston Texans at No. 15.

As of Thursday night, 10 of 32 first-round picks were under contract.

"I think it's a slow process," Loomis said. "I think it seems slower than it has been. I think it has something to do with a couple of agencies having a large number of players.

"I think every year a part of the issue is dollars. I think the economy definitely affects that. It's affected all of our teams, and we have to be conscious of our costs and our expenses, and yet it seems like the agents and representatives to these guys are oblivious to that."

Jenkins, who is living and working out in the metro New Orleans area, and Dogra could not be reached for comment.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/07/new_orleans_saints_negotiation.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Unsigned rookie Malcolm Jenkins has plenty of support from New Orleans Saints teammates
by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
Friday July 31, 2009

New Orleans Saints' first-round pick absent from camp as contract negotiations continue.Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, the Saints' first-round draft pick, may be gone, but he is not forgotten by players and coaches as he enters Day 3 of his holdout.

"We all know how this works," said Saints running back Reggie Bush, the team's top pick in 2006 who missed the first several days of training camp before his rookie season. "Everybody on the team understands this. We all know how it works. We've all been there. Nobody is mad or bitter that he's not here yet. He has to take care of business first, and this is a business."

The Saints went through the first two practices of training camp Friday without Jenkins, whose representatives, Ben Dogra and Tom Condon of Creative Artists Agency Football, finally responded to the team's initial contract offer with a counterproposal.

A simple shrug of the shoulders by General Manager Mickey Loomis said all one needed to know about the progress, or lack thereof, in negotiations."We've got a lot of history with this group, so that's encouraging," Loomis said. "I said yesterday that I was pessimistic, and that hasn't really changed a lot."

One piece of encouraging news is that a contract ceiling has been established for the negotiations between the Saints and Jenkins' agents. Washington Redskins rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo, the 13th overall pick, signed a five-year deal worth $20 million, including $12.1 million in guaranteed money. That is a 14.3 percent increase in the total contract and a 5 percent increase in guaranteed money for that draft position from a year ago.

The deal for Jenkins, taken 14th in the draft, is expected to fall in the neighborhood of $17 million to $19 million overall, with guaranteed money between $11 million and $12 million based on typical inflation.

But until a deal is struck, Jenkins will remain out of camp

Unsigned rookie Malcolm Jenkins has plenty of support from New Orleans Saints teammates - NOLA.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Payton gets encouraging news on holdout

METAIRIE - Just before Saturday morning's training camp practice, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton got some encouraging news about the holdout of rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.

Jenkins, the team's first-round pick and 14th overall selection in the April draft, missed his third straight practice as he remains unsigned. But there could be some hope on the Saints' part after the Houston Texans signed linebacker Brian Cushing early Saturday morning.

That means the two players picked before and after Jenkins - Washington Redskins defensive end Brian Orakpo at No. 13 and Cushing at No. 15 - are in their respective camps.

Because players usually get slotted according to where they're picked, Jenkins should fall between Orakpo's five-year, $20 million deal and Cushing's deal - the terms of which weren't immediately known. But you know that Payton and Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis know.

"Yeah, when you start seeing the guys in front and behind (signed), then you're hopeful that the process speeds up," Payton said. "What you don't want to see is a couple of days, three days turn into a week, a week and a half. So now, you wait and you hope that we can get this thing resolved quicker."

2theadvocate.com | Saints | Payton gets encouraging news on holdout — Baton Rouge, LA

 

[Buckskin86]

Five missed practices and counting for New Orleans Saints rookie Malcolm Jenkins
by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
Sunday August 02, 2009

No deal yet for Malcolm Jenkins but the numbers are in on Brian Cushing's contract with the Houston Texans -- five years, $14 million with $10.435 million in guarantees.

Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune
Malcolm Jenkins, shown here in June minicamp, doesn't have a deal with the New Orleans Saints yet, but those around him have signed.

The contract includes an escalator clause of $4 million in the final year of the contract so it could grow to $18 million in value.

Although Saints fans might be asking "what's the holdup?'' it appears there are still hills to climb before a deal can be struck between General Manager Mickey Loomis and agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of CAA Football who represent Jenkins.

"We're talking but there's nothing to report,'' Loomis said Sunday afternoon before the team's indoor workout, their fifth of training camp without the 14th overall pick. Then flashing a grin for the sake of this reporter, he stated the obvious: "We know he's going to get less (money) than Orakpo and more than Cushing.''

The hangup now appears to be the structure of the contract, and my instincts say the two sides are still miles apart.

Keep in mind, the pick one spot above Malcolm Jenkins at No. 13, Brian Orakpo, is getting $20 million over five years with $12.1 million in guarantees. Also remember that the agents, Tom Condon and Ben Dogra, who did the deals for Orakpo and Cushing also represent Jenkins. Very interesting.

Stay tuned. It gets curiouser and curiouser.

Five missed practices and counting for New Orleans Saints rookie Malcolm Jenkins - NOLA.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Malcolm Jenkins' contract remains a work in progress for New Orleans Saints
by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
Sunday August 02, 2009

Although Saints fans might be wondering "what's the holdup?" it appears there still are hills to climb and curves to negotiate before General Manager Mickey Loomis strikes a deal with the team's No. 1 draft pick, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.

Both players slotted around Jenkins in the first round are under contract. Washington Redskins linebacker/defensive end Brian Orakpo (No. 13) signed a five-year, $20 million contract with $12.1 million guaranteed, and Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing signed a five-year, $18 million contract (which includes a $4 million escalator clause in his final year) with $10.435 million guaranteed.

Asked if anything was imminent Sunday night, a source familiar with the negotiations said: "You can sleep easy tonight."

Earlier Sunday, Loomis said talks are ongoing with Jenkins' agents, Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of Creative Artists Agency/Football. Jenkins has missed the first five practices.

"We're talking, but there's nothing to report," Loomis said. Then flashing a grin, he stated the obvious: "We know he's going to get less (money) than Orakpo and more than Cushing."

One of the hang-ups now appears to be the structure of the contract, more specifically the breakdown of how the guaranteed money will be paid out.

"We have to do what's right for the New Orleans Saints," Loomis said Thursday when players reported to camp. "This year is the first year in quite some time that we've been pressed up against the salary cap, so we have to be conscious of that."

Condon and Dogra represent nine first-round picks, including Orakpo and Cushing.

Malcolm Jenkins' contract remains a work in progress for New Orleans Saints - NOLA.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Saints march on without first-round pick Jenkins
Associated Press
Monday, Aug. 3, 2009

METAIRIE, La. -- With first-round pick Malcolm Jenkins missing his fourth day of training camp because of his contract holdout Monday, the likelihood he cracks the New Orleans Saints' starting lineup shrinks.

The Saints already feature three NFL-ready starting cornerbacks in Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter and Randall Gay.

"You want your first-round pick in camp, so I don't know that it's ever easy to swallow," Payton said. "The key is getting all your best players in and having the competition, but right now we practice with who's here and we're really just missing one guy."

Contract negotiations between the Saints and Jenkins' agent Ben Dogra have left team general manager Mickey Loomis "pessimistic" about a deal being reached.

Jenkins was the 14th overall pick out of Ohio State. Washington defensive end Brian Orakpo, the 13th pick, and Houston linebacker Brian Cushing, the 15th pick, share the same representation as Jenkins - and they are both signed and in camp.

Payton probably would be more on edge if he didn't like the depth the Saints have at corner on the practice field. Payton says the addition of Greer and the return of a healthy of Porter and Gay, the Saints now have the best depth at the position since Payton has been in New Orleans.

"We've got three guys (with the first team) that have started in the NFL and played well when they've been in there," Saints secondary coach Dennis Allen said. "There's some guys behind them who continue to get better day in and day out. We've got a pretty good group of guys to work with."

Saints march on without first-round pick Jenkins - Associated Press - NFL - Sporting News

 

[Buckskin86]

Jeff Duncan: Malcolm Jenkins on losing end of negotiations standoff with New Orleans Saints
by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
Wednesday August 05, 2009

Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, pictured at rookie minicamp in May, is waiting for the call that his contract is ready to be finalized and his Saints career can begin.Somewhere in metropolitan New Orleans, the Crescent City's newest football star sits in his apartment and futilely tries to distract himself from the love of his life: football.

Malcolm Jenkins is spending his time trying to forget football.

Jenkins arrived in New Orleans four months ago amid great fanfare. He was the first cornerback taken in the NFL draft at No. 14 overall, the highest-ranked cornerback selected by the Saints since 1996 when they nabbed Alex Molden at No. 11.

The Saints needed a cornerback more than any other position, and Jenkins was the best cornerback in the draft. It was a match made in Who Dat heaven.

Since then, Jenkins has found himself sentenced to pigskin purgatory. Of the nine remaining unsigned draft picks, Jenkins is the lowest slotted rookie still on the sideline.

And judging from conversations with sources familiar with the negotiations, there appears little sign of progress. The Jenkins talks started slow and haven't gained much momentum, even after pick Nos. 13 and 15 signed this week.

In a nutshell, the Saints want a deal closer to the terms in Brian Cushing's deal at No. 15, and the Jenkins camp wants a deal closer to that of Brian Orakpo at No. 13.

As of Tuesday, both sides were hunkered down like Hollis Thomas on the goal line. Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis and veteran player agent, Ben Dogra, have refused to yield.

One Saints official compared it the famous Dr. Seuss story, where the North-going Zax and South-going Zax meet face to face in the Prairie of Prax and wage a stubborn standoff, refusing to compromise as inclement weather sets in and highways are built around them.

Meantime, Jenkins sits in his suburban New Orleans apartment and waits. And waits. And waits.

Jeff Duncan: Malcolm Jenkins on losing end of negotiations standoff with New Orleans Saints - NOLA.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Jenkins' holdout reaches ninth day
Payton expresses 'sense of urgency' to get top pick in camp
Friday, August 07, 2009
By Mike Triplett
Staff writer

Rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins enters Day 9 of his contract dispute today, which makes him the longest holdout during the tenure of Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Wide receiver Devery Henderson, the first of two second-round picks in 2004, missed the first eight days of training camp that year. The top pick in 2004, defensive end Will Smith, made it to camp on time.

Although he was a member of the Saints' front office in 2001, Loomis was not involved in the Deuce McAllister negotiations. McAllister also missed eight days of camp. Former Saints General Manager Randy Mueller handled the McAllister negotiations, going head to head with agent Ben Dogra, who also is representing Jenkins along with Tom Condon of Creative Artists Agency.
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Saints Coach Sean Payton said he feels that "sense of urgency" to get Jenkins on the field. But he said, "Like I tell our team, I have to focus on what I can control."

"I know that both parties are doing a great job of trying to get this thing done and both parties are extremely talented at doing this," Payton said. "They've done it for a long time, Mickey and (Director of Football Administration Khai Harley) and Ben Dogra and Tom Condon from CAA. The good news is that we have experienced guys in the positions of importance as it comes to negotiations. I think both sides will do a good job."

Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said he's still not overly concerned yet. But he said a long holdout can definitely affect a player, as he saw in Jacksonville last year.

The Jaguars' first-round pick, defensive end Derrick Harvey, held out for 33 days last year, and Williams said, "He never caught up, and that was unfortunate for him."

"(Jenkins) is a great kid, he really is," Williams said. "He's a sharp kid, and I feel sorry for him going through that. Am I concerned? It depends on how long it takes. . . . But Malcolm is a good kid, and when he gets here we'll be ready to coach him."

Jenkins' holdout reaches ninth day - NOLA.com

 

[Buckskin86]

COMMENTARY: Opportunity won't wait for Saints' top draft pick
Posted by MIKE HERNDON, Sports Reporter August 09, 2009

Associated Press
Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins sports a Saints cap after New Orleans drafted him in the first round in April.

Memo to Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick:

The weather's beautiful down here on the Gulf Coast, if you consider 90 percent humidity beautiful. Wish you were here, but we understand how the whole contract situation works. You've got to wait to see what the guys drafted in the slots around you get, then make sure your numbers fit, or at least that your deal is better than the one Brian Cushing got.

But wait, both Cushing and Brian Orakpo have already signed, haven't they? And why are you holding out again?
Mike Herndon

Whatever the reason, we hope it's worth a starting position because you're quite probably forfeiting your chance to grab one. Don't know if you've heard, but the Saints' secondary is as deep as it's been in years. They love Tracy Porter on one side, and Randall Gay and former Buffalo starter Jabari Greer are working at the other. And believe it or not, Jason David actually led the team in interceptions last year.

Yes, we know you also could play safety, but four-time Pro-Bowler Darren Sharper and Pierson Prioleau have joined Roman Harper there while you were out. It's not like you'd be competing against Josh Bullocks.

So what leverage you may have had in getting drafted by a team that finished 23rd in the league in pass defense last season is out the window. Does that help the math any?

What about a comment like this from your new boss, Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams?

"I happened to be on a team last year (at Jacksonville) that had a first-round draft choice who didn't sign until the day of the last preseason game -- Derrick Harvey, a very bright, very good player," Williams said. "He never caught up the whole year."

COMMENTARY: Opportunity won't wait for Saints' top draft pick - Sports from the Press-Register - al.com

 

[Buckskin86]

First-round pick Malcolm Jenkins agrees to terms with New Orleans Saints
by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
Sunday August 09, 2009
John McCusker/The Times-Picayune

New Orleans Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins has agreed to a deal, ending a 10-day contract dispute.

Top draft pick Malcolm Jenkins has agreed to terms on a five-year year contract with the New Orleans Saints and is expected to report to training camp Monday, NFL sources confirmed Sunday night.

The agreement ends the cornerback's 10-day contract dispute, the longest by a Saints rookie this decade. The previous longest had been eight days by running back Deuce McAllister in 2001 and receiver Devery Henderson in 2004.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. But it is believed to be worth approximately $19 million with guarantees around $11 million and includes a $4.3 million escalator clause in the last year.

Jenkins, the 14th overall pick and the top defensive back taken in the draft, will have to play catch-up after missing the first 14 practices of camp, including the Black and Gold scrimmage Saturday at the team's indoor facility in Metairie.

The Saints open their exhibition schedule Friday at 7 p.m. against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Superdome.

Team officials had hoped to get the Ohio State product in camp on time so he could compete for a starting job from the outset. But he likely will be placed near the bottom of the depth chart after his lengthy absence. He had been working with the second unit in nickel and dime passing situations when offseason workouts ended in mid-June.

"(Jenkins) was able to make a healthy number of the OTAs, so he's got a good, firm grasp of what we're doing,'' Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said July 31. "He's a good, young man, he really is. He's really sharp. He's got a good, level head on his shoulders.

"Once (Jenkins) gets here, he's going to have to compete and interview like everyone else and get ready to go. Now he's got to go through this (contract) process like all young first-rounders do, and once he gets here we're going to indoctrinate him pretty quick. It'll be brutal when he first gets here, but that's just what the first-round draft choice goes through.''

First-round pick Malcolm Jenkins agrees to terms with New Orleans Saints - NOLA.com

 

[matcar]

First-round pick Malcolm Jenkins agrees to terms with New Orleans Saints - NOLA.com

Great news! Glad this is done so MJ can get into camp.

 

[Nutriaitch]

I think Malcolm is enjoying the weather here.
Showed him on the sideline drenched in sweat struggling to drin khis powerade.

Lots of good local press so far. Said he needed only a little breather, and as soon as he was back on the field, he was going at it full speed again.

gonna try to find the clip when I get over my eternal laziness.

sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders.
when asked about the money, his response was something to the effect of:
"I'm not a flashy guy, I already have a car and a lil apartment, so I don't think much is gonna change."

 

[Nutriaitch]

gonna try to find the clip when I get over my eternal laziness.

no clip, but at least an article
Jenkins has issues with the heat during first day in camp | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Sports | News and Weather for New Orleans | wwltv.com

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Jenkins reports to Saints, struggles with heat

By Brett Martel ? The Associated Press ? August 11, 2009

METAIRIE ? Malcolm Jenkins avoided drinking much water before his first Saints practice, hoping that would help him make his mandated training camp weight of 205 pounds.
The 6-foot rookie weighed in at 204, but whatever relief that small triumph provided soon gave way to the distress of heat exhaustion. Not long into practice, trainers took Jenkins aside, pulled his shoulder pads off and poured water over him to cool him down.
"I had to sit out for a little bit and get used to the heat and everything, and the pads, but I got back in there and finished practice," Jenkins said Monday, joking that he might have lost 10 more pounds during practice.
"I've been down here and working out over at Tulane in the heat, trying to simulate things, but coming out the first day and throwing on the pads and helmet with a visor and everything, that adds another element to it," Jenkins said. "It's something I'll have to get used to."
Jenkins isn't the first player succumb to the heat of a south Louisiana summer day during training camp. He had an added disadvantage in that Monday's practice might have been the hottest since camp began. The temperature was about 90 degrees and the humidity around 70 percent, combining for a heat index in excess of 100 degrees.
Making matters worse, Jenkins had to perform a little extra conditioning work at the outset of practice in the form of 40 "up-downs," or drills in which players do a push-up, then jump up on their feet, then go back to ground for another push-up.
"I guess everybody on the defense did 40 up-downs on the first day of camp, so they wanted to make sure I got caught up to speed," Jenkins said.
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