New York Jets Veteran Defender Worth Watching During Training Camp

A New York Jets veteran defender has been drawing a lot of positive attention throughout training camp.

Dec 3, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (99) against the Philadelphia Eagles during warmups at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

A lot of the attention at New York Jets training camp this year has been on the offense. Aaron Rodgers is the biggest headliner grabber on the team and people want to see how he is fairing after his Achilles injury last season.

We won’t get a full scope of how well he is feeling until he gets into live action, but by all accounts, he has looked good at practice. Updates are positive about the connection he has built with wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who torments the defense on a daily basis.

But, there is another veteran who is turning heads at practice; veteran free agent signing, Javon Kinlaw. Kinlaw was highlighted by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team as one of the intriguing players to watch during training camp around the league.

“This offseason, the Jets surprised some by signing Kinlaw to a one-year deal worth more than $7 million. It didn’t seem like his market was that strong, but Kinlaw had previously played for coach Robert Saleh, and he was a player they clearly wanted to add to the defensive line,” Meirov wrote.

Kinlaw, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, played his rookie season under Robert Saleh, who was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. He had arguably the best season of his career playing for Saleh as a rookie.

In 14 games, 12 starts, Kinlaw recorded 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, 10 total pressures and four passes defended. He also added a 27-yard pick-six to his stat line.

The total tackles, pressures and passes defended remain career-highs for the new Jets defensive tackle. He recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks last season for the 49ers and New York is hoping that he can continue building on that positive momentum

So far, so good. Kinlaw has received rave reviews, including from Rodgers. The defensive tackle drew praise from the future Hall of Famer, who mentioned his teammate during a recent press conference for how well he has played at practice.

“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 said, via Meirov.

Talent certainly isn’t an issue when it comes to Kinlaw given his draft pedigree. Staying healthy was an issue for him at points in his career, but if he can stay on the field, he has the tools to be a disruptive force in the middle of the Jets’ defense.

As Meirov noted, some people were surprised by how much money he signed for. But if there is anyone who knows what Kinlaw is capable of it is Saleh, who got a lot out of him as a rookie back in 2020.