The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans. In return, the Jaguars will receive a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Just a day earlier, reports indicated that the Jaguars might release Kirk when the new league year kicks off next Wednesday. Instead, they found a trade partner within their own division.
The pick heading to Jacksonville originally belonged to the Los Angeles Rams.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had mentioned his interest in strengthening the wide receiver position during the NFL scouting combine. This was partly due to challenges the team faced last season, especially during the playoffs. They were down to just one healthy receiver, Nico Collins, because Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell were sidelined with knee injuries.
“Not having those guys hurt us,” Ryans said. “You need playmakers to score points and move the ball.” Diggs is set to become a free agent, and Dell’s ability to play in 2025 is uncertain. He recently had another surgery to address a torn ACL, adding to his earlier surgeries for other ligament issues.
Kirk is entering the last year of a four-year, $72 million contract. He was set to carry the Jaguars’ highest salary cap number in 2025 at $24.4 million, with a salary of $15.5 million. While he had a solid start in 2022, notching career highs with 84 catches, 1,108 yards, and eight touchdowns, injuries have hampered him. Over the last two seasons, he missed 14 games due to an abdominal injury and a broken collarbone, resulting in a total of 84 catches for 1,166 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games.
Kirk, now 28, began his career with the Arizona Cardinals after they drafted him in the second round in 2018. During his four seasons there, he racked up 236 receptions, 2,902 yards, and 17 touchdowns.
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