The Washington Commanders have lost another defensive tackle to a season-ending injury. Javon Kinlaw will miss the rest of the year due to an issue with his MCL, a source familiar with the injury confirmed Wednesday.
Kinlaw missed Sunday’s win against the Philadelphia Eagles before the Commanders added him to injured reserve on Tuesday. He had surgery to address the knee injury, ending any hope that he could return this season.
He joins fellow defensive tackle Daron Payne, who suffered a season-ending foot injury during practice on Friday.
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Washington was already playing without third-year defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, who started the regular season on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle. The Commanders opened his practice window last week, and the Illinois product could make his season debut Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
Washington’s defensive front will miss Kinlaw’s ability as a versatile run defender. He started 23 straight games to start his tenure as a Commander after signing a three-year contract ahead of the 2025 season.
This year, Kinlaw recorded a sack, three quarterback hits and 13 tackles — including two behind the line of scrimmage. The 29-year-old, who grew up in the District, added two pass deflections through six games.
Linemen Tim Settle and Shy Tuttle saw more playing time on Sunday night in place of Payne and Kinlaw. Veteran Deatrich Wise, who returned to the field last month after more than a year spent recovering from a quad injury, will also contribute to the interior rotation.
Washington signed defensive tackle Ricky Barber to the active roster on Wednesday for added depth.
The team also signed 300-pounder Daniel Ekuale to the practice squad. The 32-year-old has bounced around the league since signing with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2018, including stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.
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