49ers General Manager John Lynch confirmed Friday night that the team has exercised the fifth-year option on receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s contract. That move was reported earlier in the day.
Lynch also said the 49ers are declining the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw’s deal. That was expected as Kinlaw’s one-year, fully guaranteed deal for 2024 would have cost $10.5 million.
“I talked with Javon,” Lynch said after the second day of the draft, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “Still looking for great things from Javon. Javon’s having an outstanding offseason. He’s in a great place, and he’s excited about what’s to come as are we for him.”
The 49ers selected Kinlaw 14th overall in 2020 to replace DeForest Buckner, whom the 49ers had traded to the Colts. Kinlaw has played only 24 of a possible 50 games in three seasons with a right knee issue that required ACL reconstruction during the 2021 season.
He has totaled only 45 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Kinlaw now is entering the final year of his rookie contract, scheduled to make $2.7 million in base salary and count $4.9 million against the cap.
