The Penrith Panthers have reportedly handed a development contract to a former outside back after he had a one-year stint away from the club during the 2024 NRL season.
Making six appearances for the Panthers between 2022-23, Jenkins decided to depart the club in the hope of new opportunities and found himself signed by the Newcastle Knights.
Initially signing a two-year contract with the Knights, he was granted a release from the club and it seemed that his NRL career had come to a premature end as he remained unsigned.
This was until he secured a deal with the St Marys Saints in the Ron Massey Cup competition.
However, the outside back could potentially return to the NRL sooner than expected after being handed a lifeline by his former team.
According toย NSWRL ground reporter Stew Robson-Moses, Jenkins has been upgraded from a Ron Massey Cup contract with St Marys Saints to a development contract with the Penrith Panthers, meaning he will be available to play first-grade this season.
This comes after he appeared in Penrith's pre-season match against the Manly Sea Eagles and played in the club's opening NSW Cup match on the weekend against the Newtown Jets.
"The goal is to playย NSW Cup and having the mindset of being where my feet are at the moment and the future will just take care of itself," Jenkins told Zero Tackle recently.
"It was good to come back and get the first game in. It's been good to be back around the boys. They're all a good bunch.
"It was good to be back around family and just me as a person it was something that I needed."
The news surrounding Jenkins comes after the 23-year-old opened up on his exit from the Newcastle Knights in an exclusive interview with this publication.
RELATED > Tom Jenkins opens up on Newcastle Knights exit
Moving to the Knights after six games with theย Penrith Panthers, Jenkins was touted asย Dominic Young's replacement but shifted down the pecking order and would end up playing only five matches.
An exciting back, he unfortunately failed to live up to expectations and spent most of his tenure with the club in theย NSW Cupย competition as his time at the club came to a premature end.
"It wasn't a bad blood thing with the Knights. It was a mutual thing and what's best for both of us in that sense," Jenkins toldย Zero Tackle.
"It was a really good opportunity. I needed to go away and chase something and enjoy it.
"It was good up there with a good group of boys but for me it was a personal decision (to leave) and what's best for me."
