Malcolm Jenkins: 'On Paper I Think We've Gotten Better'
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has not been shy about sharing his opinions on the moves that the Eagles have made this off-season. Jenkins joined the 94WIP Innes and Bruno Show on Thursday afternoon, weighing in on the changes the team has made.
Jenkins touched on the team's decision to trade away LeSean McCoy in a deal that landed them linebacker Kiko Alonso.
"I think what we got was adequate," Jenkins said of the return for McCoy. "The Shady trade wasn't necessarily surprising."
Listen: Malcolm Jenkins on the 94WIP Innes And Bruno Show
Jenkins further explained that Chip Kelly's style of offense would lean toward having a one-cut back as opposed to a running back with McCoy's style that leans more on big plays and east-west running.
While the McCoy trade did not surprise Jenkins, the Nick Foles for Sam Bradford trade did. Jenkins explained that he did not see that trade coming unless it was to land Marcus Mariota.
"The most surprising one was, I think, the Nick Foles trade because nobody really expected it," Jenkins admitted. "Unless---I think people expected it, if he was going to get Mariota, but to go get Sam Bradford I think was a little bit surprising. At the end of the day, you still get a really good quarterback who I think, everybody agrees, has the skill-set, the sharpness, the command of the line of scrimmage to be a great quarterback in this league. His biggest thing is can he stay healthy and everybody is waiting to see that. That's yet to be seen."
Despite the shocking move, Jenkins is still hopeful for the season ahead.
"On paper, I think we've gotten better," Jenkins said. He praised the additions of Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond to the secondary and explained that those additions did not surprise him due to the struggles of the secondary last season.
The corners last season, Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, struggled and Jenkins was not surprise to see them go.
"You could possibly see Cary coming back, but you knew you were gonna lose one [corner]," Jenkins admitted. "To lose two, wasn't necessarily a surprise."
Jenkins commented on the fact that some people might have reservations about Maxwell as a top cornerback because of his situation in Seattle where he played within a great secondary.
"He is our guy," Jenkins said of Maxwell. "We expect him to come here and play like a No. 1 corner."
