49ers place DT Javon Kinlaw on the injured reserve

The 49ers placed defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw on the injured reserve with a knee injury. Kinlaw, who has already missed two games this season, must sit out at least four. His surgically repaired knee flared up. He recently said there’d been a fluid buildup in that knee.

Additionally, Emmanuel Moseley was placed on the injured reserve with Kinlaw. Linebacker Curtis Robinson was activated from the IR. The Niners elevated defensive back Dontae Johnson and wide receiver Willie Snead, from the practice squad. Both were standard elevations.

You can’t help but feel for Kinlaw, who might be out for the season. And to be clear, you cannot retroactively place somebody on the injured reserve, so he’ll miss a minimum of four games. Either way, it’s evident that his body has not responded. Much will be made about the selection of Kinlaw, and it’s easy to do in hindsight, but he was a talented player coming out of the draft.

The 49ers elected to ignore his injury history, and that’s coming back to bite them. Of course, it doesn’t help that Kinlaw was DeForest Buckner’s successor. Buckner was always on the field, and beyond that, he was a great player.