The NFL can be cruel sometimes. Many of us remember that massive deal wide receiver Christian Kirk received from the Jacksonville Jaguars in NFL free agency a few years ago. All that money for a glorified No. 3 option. Who would have thunk it? Three years later, the Jaguars have made a regime change at the helm, so now Kirk is expendable. The Jaguars are planning to release his this month.
Kirk may be coming off an injury-riddled season, but he is still on the good side of 30. We are talking about a seven-year NFL veteran with over 400 catches, more than 5,000 receiving yards and nearly 30 touchdown grabs on his resume. The former Texas A&M star out of Scottsdale may not end up making ludicrous Jaguars money in free agency, but he should make some coin this NFL offseason.
As far as where he could end up, Jack Markowski of OnSI wrote that the Pittsburgh Steelers nearly traded for him ahead of last deadline. The biggest hold-up in acquiring him was a collarbone injury that popped up and prematurely ended his season. Pittsburgh rarely acquires receivers by any other measure outside of the draft, but Kirk is a guy the franchise has certainly had its eyes on for a while.
Kirk spent the last three years playing for Doug Pederson in Jacksonville on a Trent Baalke contract.
Jaguars plan to release veteran WR Christian Kirk, per source. pic.twitter.com/h5zYXuUElD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2025
I am not entirely sure if Pittsburgh will end up signing Kirk, but I cannot think of a better option now.
Christian Kirk's next NFL might be the one who tried to trade for him
Kirk would be an ideal option for a team in dire need of a high-quality No. 3 option at wide receiver. Since the Steelers really have a No. 2 masquerading as a No. 1 in the forever mercurial George Pickens, I could see the fit. Under Arthur Smith, the Steelers offense featured a bunch of No. 4 wide receivers trying to do stuff in an NFL that no longer wants them part of it. Kirk makes them better.
As far as where Kirk could also work, for the right price, I think teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams could be interested in him as well. Atlanta needs a No. 3 and so may Carolina. As for the Rams, they are expected to pivot off an aging Cooper Kupp, who could be a high-end No. 3 option for the Falcons, Panthers and Steelers if he is released. Kirk and Kupp are so similar.
Ultimately, this move further indicates it is a new regime in town down in Duval County. Liam Coen is the offensive-minded wunderkind at head coach. I am so down on him as a head coach, but it will be interesting to see how it all works out. With James Gladstone taking over as the general manager for Baalke, it may be the first of many big moves he is expected to make this offseason for the Jaguars.
Nailing the No. 5 overall pick is of top priority, but reconfiguring the roster would be a close second.