The San Francisco 49ers are facing the possibility of losing one of their defensive starters for the rest of the season. On Wednesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw is in Los Angeles getting his knee issue examined, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Season-ending surgery is on the table.
Kinlaw missed the season opener against the Detroit Lions due to his knee injury. While he returned to the lineup, Kinlaw then missed the 49ers’ Week 7 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts with the knee issue. Kinlaw, who was selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, had surgery on his knee in the offseason. He’s suffered a couple of setbacks, however, and now he could be done for the year.
“It’s a big concern this year,” Shanahan said last Wednesday, via NBC Sports. “It’s nothing against him, but it’s been unfortunate. His development is on hold. I was real excited how he started to end last year, especially at Dallas — it was one of his best. The Rams game I thought he was starting to turn into that player.”
Kinlaw has recorded eight combined tackles and one quarterback hit in four games played this year. In his rookie season, Kinlaw made 33 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, four passes defensed and had a pick-six.
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