In an unexpected twist, the Jacksonville Jaguars have worked out a trade deal involving wide receiver Christian Kirk with none other than their AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans. This agreement, finalized on Thursday, involves Kirk moving to Houston in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick in 2026. A person close to the situation shared this information, preferring to stay unnamed due to the fact that the deal has not yet been officially confirmed by either team and will only become official once the new league year kicks off on Wednesday.
The Texans have been in search of a slot receiver, particularly after Tank Dell underwent a second knee surgery earlier in the week. Furthermore, Houston is planning to let seasoned receiver Stefon Diggs enter free agency. By acquiring the 28-year-old Kirk, the Texans aim to bolster their lineup with a strong wide receiver pair, connecting him with Nico Collins to provide a solid target for quarterback C.J. Stroud, assuming Kirk remains healthy.
Initially, the Jaguars had informed Christian Kirk and his representatives of their intention to release him earlier in the week, leaving many surprised by this divisional rival deal. Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen voiced the disbelief shared by many with a social media post declaring, “Kirk to Houston can’t be real.” This move will allow Jacksonville to save $10.4 million against their salary cap for 2025 yet incurs a $13.6 million charge in dead money. The Texans will be liable for Kirk’s current $15.5 million salary unless a contract renegotiation occurs.
Kirk initially inked a four-year, $72 million contract in free agency back in 2022. During that time, he achieved career-high stats with 84 catches, 1,108 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. However, his career has been marred by injuries in recent years, causing him to miss a total of 14 games. Most recently, a core muscle injury sidelined him for the last five games of the 2023 season, following a significant collarbone injury the previous year.
While the Jaguars considered trading Kirk last October, the injury setbacks hampered any potential negotiations. Attempts to renegotiate his contract for the 2025 season also failed to yield a mutual agreement. Kirk’s overall career feat includes 404 catches, 5,176 receiving yards, and 29 touchdowns over a span of seven seasons, with the first four seasons played with Arizona. Most recently, he became the second go-to receiver for Jacksonville’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence, following breakout rookie, Brian Thomas Jr.
