NFC Wildcard Game. He finished his first season as a safety with 64 combined tackles (54 solo), 12 pass deflections, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a sack, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. 2011 He entered training camp as the de facto starting free safety after the Saints chose not to re-sign Darren Sharper during the offseason. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams retained Jenkins as the starting free safety to begin the 2012 regular season, alongside strong safety Roman Harper. In Week 8, Jenkins recorded five solo tackles, a pass deflection, and sacked quarterback Sam Bradford in the Saints' 31–21 loss at the St. Louis Rams. On December 11, 2011, Jenkins collected a season-high ten combined tackles (eight solo) during a 22–17 victory at the Tennessee Titans in Week 14. Jenkins was inactive in Week 17 and was rested by head coach Sean Payton as the Saints had already clinched a playoff berth with a 12–3 record. Jenkins completed the 2011 season with 77 combined tackles (63 solo), nine passes defensed, and a sack in 15 games and 15 starts. The New Orleans Saints finished first in the NFC South with a 13–3 record. On January 7, 2012, Jenkins started his first career playoff game and recorded five combined tackles during a 45–28 win against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wildcard Game. The following week, he started in the NFC Divisional Round and made eight solo tackles, a pass deflection, and sacked quarterback Alex Smith in the Saints' 36–32 loss. 2012 The New Orleans Saints hired Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator after Gregg Williams was indefinitely suspended for his involvement in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. Head coach Sean Payton was also suspended for the 2012 season and named linebackers coach Joe Vitt the interim head coach. Vitt named Aaron Kromer the interim head coach for the first six weeks after he received a suspension for the first six regular season games for his part in the Bounty scandal. Jenkins and Roman Harper were both retained as the starting safeties despite the coaching changes. On November 5, 2012, he collected a season-high 13 combined tackles (seven solo) in the Saints' 28–13 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. In Week 11, Jenkins recorded six combined tackles, broke up a pass, and returned an interception for a touchdown during a 38–17