on a five-year, $19 million contract that includes $10.59 million guaranteed. Their agreement ended Jenkins' 11-day training camp holdout. Jenkins entered training camp late and was slated as a backup, but competed for a job as a starting cornerback against Jabari Greer. Head coach Sean Payton named Jenkins the third cornerback on the depth chart to begin the regular season, behind Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer. He made his professional regular season debut in the New Orleans Saints' season-opener against the Detroit Lions and made one solo tackle in their 45–27 victory. He made first career tackle on running back Aaron Brown and stopped him from scoring on an 87-yard kick return in the third quarter. He was inactive for the Saints' Week 4 victory against the New York Jets after spraining his ankle the previous week. Jenkins was sidelined for Week 6 after further aggravating his ankle injury. On November 22, 2009, Jenkins earned his first career start and recorded seven combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted his first career pass during a 38–7 victory at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. Jenkins intercepted a pass attempt by quarterback Josh Freeman that was originally intended for wide receiver Antonio Bryant and returned it for a 14-yard gain in the second quarter. He earned his first start after Jabari Greer sustained a groin injury in Week 9 and Tracy Porter sprained his MCL in Week 10. Jenkins remained the starter for the next six games after Greer was sidelined for the next seven games (Weeks 10–16) and Porter was sidelined for the next four games (11–14) In Week 13, he collected a season-high nine solo tackles and broke up a pass in a 33–30 win at the Washington Redskins. On December 27, 2009, Jenkins made a season-high ten combined tackles (eight solo) in the Saints' 20–17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Jenkins finished his rookie season in 2009 with 55 combined tackles (49 solo), four pass deflections, and an interception in 14 games and six starts. The New Orleans Saints finished first in the NFC South with a 13–3 record, clinching a first round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. On January 16, 2010, Jenkins appeared in his first career playoff game as the Saints' defeated the Arizona Cardinals 45–14 in the NFC Divisional Round. The Saints reached the Super Bowl after winning