The Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly traded veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans, their AFC South rival. In return, the Texans will receive a seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft, originally from the Los Angeles Rams, according to The Athletic. This trade comes just a day after it was announced that the Jaguars intended to release Kirk, who missed the last nine games of the 2024 season due to a broken collarbone. Releasing Kirk would have saved Jacksonville $10.437 million against their salary cap, as noted by Over The Cap. The trade achieves similar cap relief while also securing a draft pick.
Kirk was set to have the highest cap hit on the team this season at $24.1 million, with a salary of $15.5 million, according to Over The Cap. New general manager James Gladstone, who joined the Jaguars’ front office on February 21, is demonstrating a willingness to make bold moves, even involving a divisional opponent.
After signing a four-year, $72 million contract in 2022, Kirk quickly established a strong connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, achieving career highs with 84 receptions, 1,108 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns that season. However, an abdominal injury sidelined him for five games in 2023, and a collarbone fracture limited him to just eight games in the third year of his contract. The emergence of rookie Brian Thomas Jr. as a leading receiver and Parker Washington’s solid performance in the slot during Kirk’s absence has positioned the Jaguars well, despite the departure of the seven-year veteran.
For the Texans, acquiring Kirk is a strategic move, especially since young receiver Tank Dell is expected to miss the entire 2025 season due to a severe knee injury sustained against the Kansas City Chiefs in December. While Kirk may also need time to recover from his collarbone injury, he is not anticipated to miss the entire 2025 season. The Texans may further enhance their receiving corps, as Stefon Diggs, who had developed strong chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud before an injury cut his season short, is a free agent this offseason.
Throughout his seven seasons in the NFL, including four with the Arizona Cardinals after being selected 47th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Kirk has recorded 236 receptions for 2,902 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns across 56 career games.