The 49ers made a sizable addition to their defensive line this offseason when they added free agent defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. San Francisco is hopeful that won’t be the only boost to the interior of their defensive line this year though.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw has struggled to stay on the field during his three-year NFL career. Over the last two years he’s played in only 10 games while dealing with knee injuries. General manager John Lynch on Monday expressed optimism about Kinlaw though after a strong offseason from the 25-year-old.
“JK is doing great. He is really in a good spot,” Lynch said. “He looks tremendous. He’s preparing, he’s excited about his preparation. I think it’s a good feeling when you’ve battled injuries year after year and you’re in a healthy spot and you can see it in the way he’s walking around here. He’s just very encouraged and in a really good place. And I think he’s earned that right. He’s worked really hard to be here I think we’re all really encouraged by it and excited to see what can come.”
It would be a pretty substantial addition to the 49ers’ defensive line rotation to have Kinlaw healthy for 17 games. He may not reach the level the team hoped when they made him the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 draft, but his talent during his rookie season when he played 14 games was pretty clear. Getting more consistent playing time should help Kinlaw realize some of his untapped potential.
While Lynch did sound high on the DT, he declined to say whether the team would pick up his fifth-year option. They’ll be required to do that by the Monday after the draft. It would appear the team is not on track to bring Kinlaw back on what would be a one-year, fully-guaranteed salary well north of what they’d be looking to pay him.
Still, a fully-healthy season from Kinlaw would be a nice first step in getting his career off the ground. There’s a long road ahead though with offseason workouts, training camp and a preseason to get through first. It’ll be worth keeping a close eye on him because slotting Kinlaw into the DT rotation with Arik Armstead and Hargrave would quickly elevate the 49ers’ defensive front to one of the NFL’s best.