Eagles re-sign Rodney McLeod to two-year deal after releasing Malcolm Jenkins

The Eagles’ headline move Tuesday was the decision to decline Malcolm Jenkins’ 2020 option -- which Jenkins had said he wouldn’t play under anyway -- cutting ties with one of the most revered leaders of the Super Bowl LII team. But as fans and reporters processed that bold move, the team acted to preserve at least a little stability at safety by agreeing with Jenkins’ partner, Rodney McLeod, on a two-year deal.

Jenkins arrived via free agency in 2014, McLeod landed in 2016, and together the two made up the team’s best safety tandem of the last quarter-century, at least. McLeod, who turns 30 in June, started all 16 games last season after suffering a knee injury that limited him to three games in 2018. Pro Football Focus charged him with 15 missed tackles, the most he has compiled since 2014, but opposing receivers caught only 53.3% of the passes thrown when he was in coverage, McLeod’s career-best number.

Jenkins has been the leader of the back seven, but young defensive backs also look up to McLeod, whose NFL journey began with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2012. McLeod is the fourth pending free agent the Eagles have opted to retain so far, and he’s the oldest of the group that includes 26-year-old cornerback Jalen Mills (who might see time at safety now), 26-year-old backup QB Nate Sudfeld, and 25-year-old defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway.