Originally posted by NCommand:
Exactly. That's why I was questioning him slimming down. We saw what happened to MM when he slimmed down to protect the knee.
I think the whole slimming down topic is a manufactured talking point by the local media. Kinlaw also slimmed down last offseason and came into training camp at 292 pounds according to Matt Barrows and Tim Ryan, who wouldn't shut up about Kinlaw's new body and weight loss during last year's preseason. Not sure why him being 305 a few months ago became such a talking point.
Kinlaw, however, looks like a different player this year. He's healthy after having an ACL procedure last season. He's also noticeably slimmer — 292 pounds, compared to his 324-pound weight at the 2020 scouting combine. After the game, Kyle Shanahan said that until recently, Kinlaw hadn't been healthy since injuring his knee in a Dec. 20, 2020, game against the Cowboys.
I wouldn't be surprised if he continues to lean out and come into camp again around 292 pounds like he did last season.
I'm not worried about the weight. Kinlaw is massive dude even at around 300 pounds. He struggles with firing off the ball, getting off with leverage and maintaining pad level level through contact. These issues have been there since college, so that's just who he is at this point. The dude is high cut with knee problems, which only exacerbate the aforementioned issues.
[ Edited by Heroism on May 24, 2023 at 3:23 PM ]