Kris Jenkins rookie contract figures with Cincinnati Bengals revealed after NFL Draft

Following Kris Jenkins‘ No. 49 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, his rookie contract numbers have been revealed.

According to Spotrac, the former Wolverines star will sign a four-year rookie deal worth approximately $7.702 million. As a second-round draft pick, Jenkins’ rookie deal won’t come with a fifth-year option for the Bengals, which means unless they extend or re-sign him, he’ll become a free agent after the 2027 season.

Bengals select Jenkins in second round

Jenkins — son of two-time All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Sr. — is now following in his dad’s footsteps into the NFL. And Jenkins Jr. will begin his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, which selected him No. 49 overall in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

After playing in one game and redshirting during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Jenkins played in all 43 possible games the next three years of his Michigan career, starting 33. He started all 29 possible games his junior and senior seasons the past two years.

Jenkins earned second team All-American honors and second team All-Big Ten accolades while captaining the national champion Wolverines.

At 6-foot-3 and 299 pounds at the NFL Combine — likely near his max weight for his frame — Jenkins doesn’t have the prototypical size to play as a true nose tackle in the NFL. He projects more as a three technique or 3-4 defensive end at the NFL level, and has potential to be a movable piece that can provide an NFL team the coveted inside pass rush.

And with NFL bloodlines as good as any, Jenkins comes to the NFL with an understanding of what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Jenkins played high school football at Our Lady Good Counsel (Md.) High School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 487 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report.