Javon Kinlaw never found true success with the 49ers, but his brief time with the Jets landed him a lucrative free-agent deal in Washington.
The San Francisco 49ers were never able to turn their top pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, into a massive force.
Kinlaw, who was drafted in an attempt to replace Pro Bowl interior defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, dealt with both injuries and inconsistent play during his four-year tenure in the Bay Area. While he remained largely healthy in 2023, it was clear the Niners never had any intent to retain him, denying his fifth-year option and letting him hit the open market the following offseason.
A one-year stint with the New York Jets afforded Kinlaw the chance to reunite with his former defensive coordinator from his rookie season, then-Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
But, after Gang Green cleaned house halfway through 2024, one could fairly wonder if Kinlaw's time in the Big Apple was coming to a close, too.
Either way, it would have been hard for him to turn down what the Washington Commanders offered up.
Commanders sign Javon Kinlaw to lucrative free-agent deal
Instead of following Saleh back to the Bay Area, Kinlaw was lured to another staffer with ties to San Francisco.
According to multiple reports, including one from ESPN's Adam Schefter, former 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters offered Kinlaw a hefty three-year deal to head to Washington:
Comp update: Javon Kinlaw reached agreement with Washington on a three-year, $45 million deal that includes $30 million guaranteed. https://t.co/aKAv7DzUwt
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2025
$30 million guaranteed is a lot, especially after the Commanders are letting go of another defensive tackle, Pro Bowler Jonathan Allen, who has been linked to the 49ers in free agency.
Either way, good for Kinlaw, whose career seemed in trouble early but has since earned a prized contract on the open market.
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