James Gladsdtone's first move as the new general manager didn't come as a surprise. As expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be releasing wide receiver Christian Kirk in free agency.
The move frees up $10.4 million in cap space with $13.6 million in dead money and gives the Jaguars a chance to revamp the roster. Similarly, it opens the door for third-year pro Parker Washington to have a bigger role on offense.
Before the Jags made a decision, there was chatter that maybe they could trade Kirk, but it doesn't look like there was a market for his services. This is good news for teams in need of help at wide receiver, as they won't have to give up any compensation to land his services. Speaking of, what's next for the former Texas A&M Aggie? He can most definitely contribute right off the bat.
The issue is that Kirk has suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries, but if he manages to stay healthy he would be a terrific option for teams looking for a slot receiver. With that in mind, below are the top landing spots for the former Jaguar.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers already tried to acquire Christian Kirk once. In fact, they were close to trading for him last year before he suffered a collarbone injury that cut his season short. Pittsburgh still needs help at wide receiver, and they would no longer have to compensate the Jags to get him. With the Steelers, Kirk would join a wide receiver corps that's lacking much talent beyond George Pickens.
Not surprisingly, Steelers players have already begun to court Kirk. Perhaps he can help them fix a passing game that ranked 27th in yards in the NFL last season.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders turned heads when they stunned the Detroit Lions to make it to the NFC Championship in 2024. But as impressive as they were, they're not resting on their laurels. instead, they're reloading to ensure they once again reach the conference championship or get over the hump.
Just recently, the Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel, and they could make further upgrades to their wide receiver unit by adding Christian Kirk. Given that Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was his head coach during his stint with the Arizona Cardinals, this fit makes sense.
Related story: Updated cap space and draft picks for the Jaguars in 2025
Houston Texans
In recent years, the Houston Texans haven't shied away from poaching players from their division foes. For instance, they signed quarterback E.J. Perry, cornerback Shaquill Griffin, and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. All three played for the Jags at some point. Thus, it wouldn't be out of character to go after Christian Kirk.
Leaving aside where Kirk last played, Houston needs to revamp its wide receiver group. Tank Dell suffered a season-ending injury last year while Stefon Diggs and Robert Woods are slated to become free agents. Kirk could most definitely give them a hand, and he would surely love to have the chance to face the Jags twice a year and show them that releasing him was a mistake.