One New York Jets free agent acquisition has really stood out to Aaron Rodgers and it’s on the defensive side of the ball.
“Defensively we are always going to be good. We have depth, our D-Line we can just roll people up front. You look at some of the guys we got now, I mean [Javon] Kinlaw is a creature. I mean he’s a beast man, I haven’t seen a guy like that too many times in the league,” Rodgers told the media on Wednesday, July 24.
On March 14 the Jets raised a lot of eyebrows around the league when they signed Kinlaw to a contract.
It wasn’t the move itself that made waves. It made a lot of sense on paper, Kinlaw is a former first-round draft choice and he came from the San Francisco 49ers. Jets head coach Robert Saleh was the defensive coordinator when they selected Kinlaw in 2020. There is a connective tissue there.
However, the $7.25 million overall price tag and $6.91 million of that being guaranteed was surprising.
Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor called it a “wild overpay” in a column in March.
Jets Are Gambling on Youth and Upside
Jefferson and Woods provided experience and a history of production. The same can’t necessarily be said for Fotu and Kinlaw, but they have untapped potential that lies beneath the surface.
Brian Costello of the New York Post asked Saleh about the team losing around 20 sacks from last year’s squad compared to this year’s team in regards to free agents lost and via trade.
“It’s a valid point, but at the same time I’ve got full confidence in guys like Will McDonald, Haason [Reddick] when he gets here, JK, Solly [Solomon Thomas], and even Leki. We’ve got a really good group of guys. I’m not worried where those 20 will come from,” Saleh explained.Kinlaw isn’t as proven as the two players he’s attempting to replace in Woods/Jefferson, but he has incredible upside as a former first-round draft choice.
Kinlaw Completely Changed His Body This Offseason
The former South Carolina product revealed to the media on Monday, July 29 that he had a plan this offseason to change his physique.
“My goal was to put on like 35 pounds of lean muscle mass and I did. It’s been paying off pretty well,” Kinlaw said.Kinlaw explained that he played at 305 pounds last year with the 49ers. This weight-gaining process has been going on for the last four or five months. Kinlaw said he’s at “like 330 right now.”
On the team website, he is only listed at 319 pounds, but it appears they haven’t updated the training camp weights yet.
Kinlaw explained the diet program that helped him gain so much weight when he spoke with the media (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post).
Breakfast: nine eggs, a whole avocado, and a handful of spinach
Lunch: Six chicken breasts and a side salad
Dinner: One pound of ground beef with some noodles mixed inJets team reporter Caroline Hendershot sat down with Kinlaw shortly after he signed with the Jets this offseason. He revealed to her that he also eats “squirrels, snakes, [and] rabbits.”
Saleh explained on Tuesday, July 30 that Kinlaw is a “power guy.”
“Very similar to Quinnen [Williams], he wins with power. He’s not Aaron Donald where it’s going to be with quickness, but the sheer brute strength. That’s what [Kinlaw] has in common with Quinnen. I think those two can feed off one another,” Saleh said. “He’s athletic enough. When he gets that stuff moving, he’s a very very hard man to stop. Like I said we are very excited to get our hands on him, work with him, and help him identify who he is in this league.”
New York made a pivot this offseason at the defensive tackle position.
Out with the old, Quinton Jefferson (31 years old) and Al Woods (37 years old), and in with the new, Leki Fotu (25 years old) and Kinlaw (26 years old).
