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The New Orleans Saints signed Philadelphia Eagles free agent Malcolm Jenkins to a four-year, $32 million contract this week, but some Saints fans were left wondering, “Why?”
Jenkins was one of the top safeties available, but he’ll be replacing Vonn Bell, an up-and-comer who grew in popularity as the 2019 season ran on. Bell ended the year with the NFL’s most fumble recoveries, and his first career interception. More than one fan has asked why the money given to Jenkins couldn’t have been spent on Bell.
According to NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Bell didn’t want it. Underhill reports that the Saints made Bell a comparable offer, “around the neighborhood of $7.5 million per season,” but the 25-year-old safety turned it down, thinking he could find a bigger payday in free agency.
Whether he’ll actually land that sort of deal is to be determined, but there aren’t many safeties like Bell who command double-digit salaries. Only the versatile free safeties who can make plays in coverage and defend from multiple alignments earn that — the hard-nosed safeties who make a living in the tackle box and at the line of scrimmage, like Bell, rarely draw more than $8 million annually.
But Bell won’t lack for suitors. Teams like the Cincinnati Bengals make sense as they look to load up on playmakers ahead of next month’s NFL draft, with potential face of the franchise-worthy quarterbacks like LSU’s Joe Burrow will be available. It’s also worth noting that the Carolina Panthers were reportedly in on Bell’s sweepstakes, and they recently released veteran safety Eric Reid, possibly making room for someone like Bell.
There’s still plenty of cash to be spent in free agency, and as one of the best safeties still available, Bell figures to get the contract he’s wanting.
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