On Wednesday, it was reported that the Jaguars were planning on releasing wide receiver Christian Kirk ahead of next week’s start to free agency. Instead, the Texans are going to send a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to acquire Kirk immediately. In turn, the Texans will take on Kirk’s 2025 salary which will pay him $16.5 million for the upcoming season.
It's a 2026 7th-round pick going to Jacksonville for Christian Kirk. The #Texans take on Christian Kirk's existing contract, which is set to pay him $16.5 million in 2025, the final year on the deal. https://t.co/NU4MqShdY1
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 6, 2025
The Texans will likely find a way to make Kirk’s cap hit in 2025 much more palatable as the receiver has missed 14 games over the past two seasons and Houston can’t afford to pay that type of money for a potential part-time player.
After signing his four-year, $72 million deal in 2022, Kirk set career highs for the Jaguars with 1,108 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. However, in 2023 and 2024 combined, he totaled just 84 receptions for 1,166 yards and four touchdowns while playing in 20 total games.
This move helps the Texans replenish the wide receiver room for quarterback CJ Stroud knowing that veterans Robert Woods and Stefon Diggs are expected to depart when free agency begins next week. There’s a little risk here with Kirk, but if he returns healthy and kicks the injury bug, this could be a sneaky good signing for Houston.