Report: New York Jets agree to terms with 49ers free agent Javon Kinlaw on one-year deal

The New York Jets are addressing some of their struggles in the trenches early on in the 2024 free agency period. Although the signing cannot be made official until after 3:00 PM CT on March 13; the Jets have agreed to terms with former San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the two sides have agreed on a one-year deal that will reunite Kinlaw with his former defensive coordinator, turned New York head coach Robert Saleh.

This is the second interior lineman the Jets have agreed to terms in principle with on Monday. Along with Kinlaw, New York is bringing in veteran guard John Simpson. Simpson was a part of the bulldozing offensive line possessed by the Baltimore Ravens and the 2023-24 season, where he started in all 19 games at left guard.

Kinlaw, one of two first-round picks by the 49ers in the 2020 NFL Draft, saw his role diminish in the 49ers’ defensive front after dealing with injuries in his second and third seasons. This past year, he played in 17 games for San Francisco with six starts. The former South Carolina Gamecock finished last year with 25 tackles, 13 solo, six hits on the quarterback, four tackles for a loss, and a career-high 3.5 sacks.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline comes the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match, that round’s pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.