One of the biggest decisions the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to make in the offseason will be what to do with Christian Kirk. A fixture on offense the past three seasons, the veteran is entering a contract year and could be traded or released in the upcoming months.
Kirk, a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, signed a four-year deal with the Jags in 2022. At the time, they earned scrutiny for giving him a top-market deal, but the former Texas A&M Aggie validated their trust by posting career numbers in his first season in Jacksonville.
Unfortunately, injuries hampered Kirk the past two seasons and it's uncertain if the new regime plans to keep him around in 2024. In fact, the Jags engaged in negotiations to send him to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the trade deadline last year. Had he stayed healthy, there's a strong chance he would've left.
The front office will have to revisit Kirk's future in the offseason. Releasing him or trading him would create a bit over $10 million in space. Add the fact that Jacksonville has a potential in-house replacement in Parker Washington, and it's hard to see the veteran receiver return next season.
And if Kirk leaves and the Jaguars aren't fully sold on Washington, they could target the following four receivers in free agency.
Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. There, he got to know receiver Tutu Atwell, a second-round pick the year prior who was at the time trying to hit his stride.
The former Louisville Cardinal was a non-factor as a rookie, mostly contributing on special teams. He then suffered an injury that forced him to miss the Super Bowl.
It was during Atwell's sophomore campaign that he played for Coen. That year, he only got 18 receptions for 298 yards with one touchdown but has since come a long way, hauling in 42 receptions for 562 yards last season.
Like Kirk, Atwell mostly lines in the slot, and could be a bargain signing in free agency.
Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears
If the Jaguars want a savvy veteran to replace Christian Kirk, Keenan Allen is their guy. A long-time mainstay of the Los Angeles Chargers, the former California Golden Bear joined the Chicago Bears in 2024.
Although Allen has dealt with injuries throughout his career, he's managed to be productive. Even last year, he caught 70 passes for 744 yards with seven touchdowns. The 2013 third-round pick can also line up inside but can play anywhere you want him to.
All things considered, Allen's biggest issue is his availability, but if the Jags want to roll the dice, he would be an intriguing short-term addition to their wide receiver corps.
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
More often than not, you're better off going with the devil you know, and in Liam Coen's case, he would be thrilled to bring in a familiar face he's previously worked with: Chris Godwin.
Although Mike Evans generally gets the spotlight in Tampa Bay, Godwin is no slouch, having registered four 1,000 seasons from 2019 to 2023 and he would probably have a couple more if he hadn't gotten hurt in 2020 and last year.
Either way, Godwin is coming off an ankle injury that ended his 2024 campaign short. That might've hurt his stock, which could in turn help the Jaguars land him. Sure, the prospect of staying home and catching passes from Baker Mayfield is tempting, but the veteran wideout could get a fresh start in Jacksonville.
Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills
The fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft has been highly productive throughout his career even though he's changed teams more times than he would've probably liked. Just last year, Amari Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills after starting the season with the Cleveland Browns. Due to injuries and switching clubs, he posted a career-low 44 receptions for 547 yards with four touchdowns.
Nevertheless, Cooper remains an effective player with seven 1,000-yards in his resume. The catch is that he doesn't line up in the slot as often as the other three receivers on the list. That said, the Alabama product could come in and contribute right off the bat.
You could make the case that Cooper is an unnecessary luxury the Jaguars cannot afford, but the truth is that their passing game needs a bit of juice. They need a No. 2 who can line up opposite Brian Thomas Jr. to draw coverage away. Gabe Davis was supposed to fill that role in 2024 but was instead underwhelming.
The Jags could hope Davis bounces back next season, or they could bring in Cooper to round out their receiver room.