If we are looking for reasons the Washington Commanders went in the tank in 2025, we can start with the 3-year, $45 million free-agent contract handed to defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
The Commanders were roundly criticized for the signing, which seemed to be a result of general manager Adam Peters’ fondness for Kinlaw more than anything to do with his actual skill or production.
Kinlaw proceeded to make his case for the NFL’s worst free-agent signing of the 2025 free-agent cycle with 43 tackles, zero sacks, and 5 TFL in 17 starts.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes Kinlaw might not even have a place on Washington’s 53-man roster in 2026, putting him on his list of the NFL’s best players who could be cut before the regular season.
“Based on his production in 2025, he’s one of the league’s most overpaid players,” Moton wrote. “Kinlaw finished the previous campaign without a sack, logging 43 tackles (five for loss). Earning $15 million annually, the 28-year-old needs more pass-rushing production. He may not get another chance to play up to his contract with free-agent acquisition Charles Omenihu in the mix for snaps on the defensive line.”
Kinlaw received a 46.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025, which ranked him 112th out of 134 eligible defensive tackles.
Javon Kinlaw: NFL’s ‘Worst Free Agent Signing’
After the Commanders flipped their record from 12-5 in 2024 to 5-12 in 2025, Pro Football Focus singled out Kinlaw’s $45 million deal as the NFL’s worst free-agent signing.
“The Commanders got aggressive in an effort to boost their defensive line, giving Kinlaw a three-year, $45 million contract,” PFF’s Bradley Locker wrote. “However, the early results of the agreement seem to be playing out as some surmised. Kinlaw finished the year with a 46.8 overall PFF grade, including a 47.6 PFF run-defense mark and a 9.4% pass-rush win rate. In turn, interior defensive line is still an area of weakness for Washington.”
Commanders Criticized From Start Over Contract
The buzz on Kinlaw and his contract was bad from the start.
Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald gave the Commanders an “F” grade for the Kinlaw deal, which included $30 million in guaranteed money.
“Most contracts in the NFL have some level of justification…this does not,” Fitzgerald wrote. “The Jets signing Kinlaw at $7.5M was a bad one last year and this just blows that away. 3 years, $45 million with $30 million full at signing. Insane. Teams that do stuff like this because they have cap room often wind up a mess in a year or two because the cap room is gone and they wonder why they have some of these contracts on the books. On paper this is the worst signing of the early free agency period.”
Kinlaw represented a considerable downgrade in terms of performance from departed 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who signed a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings — although it’s not much of a savings in terms of finances.
Kinlaw was a 1st-round pick (No. 14 overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2020 NFL draft. He played 14 games as a rookie, then only played 10 games, total, over the next 2 seasons due to injuries, before playing all 17 games in 2023.
In his lone season with the New York Jets in 2024, Kinlaw had his version of a breakout season by starting all 17 games for the first time with career highs of 40 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Commanders Predicted to Drop $45 Million Free Agent Bust