Javon Kinlaw arrived in Washington with a hefty price tag and a lot to prove, and the Commanders may have finally found a way to make that $45 million bet look a lot smarter.
The plan comes from defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, who is building a defense around movement, disguise and versatility. For Kinlaw, that means less time planted in one spot and more time bouncing across the line, where Washington believes his size and athleticism can create real problems for offenses.
Kinlaw said the role has already opened things up for him at training camp.
"I'm getting to play everywhere. The shade, the two wide, the three, the four, the five, the six.
I'm playing it all, man. I'm loving how I'm getting to just give guys different looks and be all over the place, man.
And I think it's going to play to my strengths well, man. You know, give a lot of guys fits."
That kind of usage is exactly what Washington is hoping for. At 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds, Kinlaw can line up inside or work toward the edge, and the Commanders want to use that flexibility to make blockers think twice.
A move to three-technique tackle lets him attack the B-gap between guard and offensive tackle, where his pass-rush ability can show up more often. At four-technique, he can line up head-up over a tackle and help create cleaner rush paths for outside linebackers Odafe Oweh or K'Lavon Chaisson.
Jones’ system also adds another wrinkle that could matter for Kinlaw: the shade spot. That alignment puts him in the A-gap between guard and center, shaded toward the center, and it’s usually where Daron Payne works. Kinlaw getting reps there suggests Payne’s role may also shift as Jones spreads the work around.
That part matters because Kinlaw is not the only lineman Jones wants moving around. Payne is also expected to be used differently, especially with a contract year in front of him.
There’s a catch, though. This kind of defense asks its front to do more than chase numbers.
It can require linemen to hold blocks, occupy space and free up blitzers behind them. Former Vikings nose tackle Javon Hargrave talked about that kind of role in Minnesota, where the front often served as a decoy for pressure coming from the second and third levels.
That means Kinlaw’s impact might not always show up cleanly in the stat sheet. Jones’ system could ask him to do the dirty work so others can finish plays. Still, Kinlaw’s own mention of working at two- and five-technique shows Washington is giving him chances to attack from multiple spots and find those splash plays that can change how his season is judged.
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Jake Moody Is Putting Washingtons Kicking Decision In Real Doubt
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Moody is trying to reclaim the consistency that made him a safer bet earlier in his career, yet the urgency around the job keeps growing. With his future in Washington far from settled, every practice kick now carries a little extra weight, and the Commanders are getting a reminder that even one of the least glamorous positions on the roster can become one of the most scrutinized. [Read more 🡒]