NFL news: Jaguars trade Christian Kirk to Texans
The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly made a trade with the Houston Texans, sending veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk to their AFC South rival.
Houston gets a 2026 seventh-round pick, which originally belonged to the Los Angeles Rams, in exchange for Kirk, according to The Athletic.
The trade comes one day after news broke that the Jaguars planned to release Kirk, who missed the final nine games of the 2024 season due to a broken collarbone.
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Christian Kirk (13) of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates a reception during the second quarter of a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium Nov. 26, 2023, in Houston. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
That move would have saved Jacksonville $10.7 million against their salary cap, according to Spotrac. The trade does the same thing while adding a draft pick.
Kirk was going to have the team’s highest cap hit this season at $24.4 million while being paid a $15.5 million salary, according to Spotrac. But new general manager James Gladstone, who joined the new Jags regime Feb. 21 to be paired with head coach Liam Coen, is clearly showing he’s not afraid to make moves already, even with a divisional rival.
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Kirk quickly developed a rapport with quarterback Trevor Lawrence after being signed to a four-year, $72 million deal in 2022, registering career highs in catches (84), yards (1,108) and touchdowns (eight) in that campaign.
However, an abdominal injury cost him five games in 2023, and his collarbone fracture limited him to eight games in the third year of his deal.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Myles Jack (51) tackles Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, center, during the first half of a preseason game, Aug. 20, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The emergence of rookie Brian Thomas Jr. as a clear top receiver to build the pass game around, as well as Parker Washington playing well out of the slot in Kirk’s absence, leaves the Jaguars in a good place despite a veteran of seven years moving to a different team.
For the Texans, Kirk’s addition makes sense considering Tank Dell, their speedy, young receiver, is likely to miss the entire 2025 season after tearing an ACL, MCL and LCL and dislocating his kneecap in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in December.
Kirk could miss time due to his own recovery from his collarbone injury, but he isn’t expected to be out the entire 2025 campaign.
The Texans could still add to their pass game because Stefon Diggs, who built great chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud before an injury ended his season, is a free agent on the market this offseason.
Christian Kirk of the Jacksonville Jaguars scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium Nov. 13, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
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Through seven seasons, four with the Arizona Cardinals, who took him 47th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Kirk has 236 receptions for 2,902 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns in 56 career games.
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