Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw never quite found his footing with the San Francisco 49ers after they took in him Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Granted, there were flashes of brilliance here and there. But, either because of injuries or other factors, the former South Carolina Gamecock just didn't pan out to desired expectations, leading to the Niners denying his fifth-year option and him subsequently departing via free agency in 2024.
That led to a so-so lone season with the New York Jets before cashing in on a lucrative three-year, $45 million contract with the Washington Commanders, reuniting with general manager Adam Peters, who was in San Francisco's front office back when the defensive tackle was originally drafted.
It was one of Washington's bigger offseason moves, intended to infuse talent for a squad that had lofty hopes for 2025 after finishing 12-5 the previous season and making it all the way to the NFC Championship game.
Except things haven't exactly gone according to plan, neither for Kinlaw nor the Commanders.
Commanders are learning the same Javon Kinlaw truth 49ers learned previously
When healthy, Kinlaw is a good player. Let's establish that.
But, as the Niners learned during his four-year tenure in the Bay Area, he wasn't the kind of game-wrecking impact player a defense so desperately covets. While the occasional splash plays remind fans why he was a first-round pick, the consistency to regularly dictate the course of a game never quite materialized.
San Francisco realized that. Washington is now figuring it out.
For a three-win Commanders squad, one looking at a challenging 2026 offseason with an aging defense and plenty of roster questions, the hope would be Kinlaw could be a major centerpiece.
But, with precisely zero sacks, three tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits on the year, signs are pointing toward Washington's return on investment for Kinlaw not coming close to desired expectations.
Like the 49ers came to understand, Kinlaw regularly seems to be just one game away from a true breakout, even if he never quite got there.
The Commanders are now the ones in that inevitable circle of hope.