Dec 25, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (99) is introduced before the start of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
When the Jets added defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw this offseason, the expectation from most was that they’d be getting a strong interior rusher with some room to develop into a more complete player. It seems that in just a few months, Kinlaw has literally grown into a different player.
While meeting with the press after practice today, Kinlaw, who was previously listed at 319 pounds, claims to have added 25 pounds of muscle to get himself up to his current weight of 330 pounds.
Having a 330 pound lineman with Kinlaw’s explosiveness next to Quinne Williams could pose quite a challenge for opposing offensive linemen.
One area where the Jets needed to improve their defense this offseason was along the defensive interior. After losing Quinton Jefferson and Al Woods to free agency, something had to be done.
The response from the Jets was to sign Kinlaw and defensive tackle Leki Fotu. Through the first week of camp, Fotu has earned rave reviews as he looks to be the next defensive player to go from castoff to standout under Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich. Should the pair exceed or even life up to expectations, it would be huge win for the Jets defense.