Some news come as a surprise in the NFL. Others are expected. The Christian Kirk release falls in the latter category. Heading into the offseason, there was speculation that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to move on from him. The day came, and the Jags have made their move.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Jacksonville is expected to move on from Kirk, pointing out that his release will create $10 million in cap space.
Aside from the extra space, there were several reasons the move made sense. For starters, he had logged over 1,000 yards in 2022 but had suffered season-ending injuries each of the past two years. Add the fact that Parker Washington played when during his absence, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville wanted to move on from him.
Heck, the Jags had already tried to trade Kirk to the Pittsburgh Steelers last year but a deal didn't get done because he suffered a collarbone injury. Granted, it was a different regime, but new general manager James Gladstone didn't think the veteran receiver had done enough to warrant a roster spot in 2025.
It's worth noting that Kirk's release is not offical as of this writing, but barring a shocking turn of events, it should pop up on the NFL's transaction list once it's processed. For the time being, the Jaguars are surely working on ways to get better. Below are some of the many options they'll have.
Trade for Cooper Kupp
The Los Angeles Rams told Cooper Kupp earlier this year that they were moving in a different direction, meaning that they plan to trade him. This is understandable when you take into account that injuries have hindered him the past two years, and his cap hit of $29 million in 2025 may be too much to bear.
Now, Kupp is three seasons removed from his All-Pro season in 2021 but he could still be a dependable target if he's healthy, probably his biggest question mark. Trading for him would make sense if the Rams are willing to take on some of his salary for 2025.
A fourth-round pick that can become a third if he reaches certain playing conditions could get a deal done. The Washington Commanders just got Deebo Samuel in exchange for a fifth, and Kupp has arguably been more productive the past three years. Jaguars pass-game coordinator Shane Waldron know him from his days in Los Angeles so maybe he could convince him to join the Jaguars.
Sign Chris Godwin in free agency
Like Cooper Kupp, Chris Godwin mostly lines up in the slot. That makes him an ideal replacement for Christian Kirk, who was at his best when he played inside. Another thing that could incentivize the Jags to sign Godwin is that he was on pace to have a banner season under Liam Coen last season. That's right, the new Jaguars head coach was his offensive coordinator in 2024.
The biggest downside of pursuing Godwin is that he's coming off a serious ankle injury, and it's hard to tell, at least from an outside perspective, if he's healthy. If he isn't, will he have to miss time in the regular season? On top of that, the veteran wideout will be on high demand in free agency, so he probably wont' come cheap. That could end up detering Jacksonville from making a run for him.
Plug in Parker Washington in the slot, trade for an outside receiver or draft one
One reason that the Jacksonville Jaguars are ready to move on from Christian Kirk might've been Parker Washington's promising play last year. After a relatively quiet rookie campaign, the former Penn State Nittany Lion hauled in 32 receptions for 390 yards with three touchdowns in 2024.
If the Jaguars think Washington is ready to step into the slot, they could then add another wide receiver that operates in the slot. Sure, Gabe Davis is around, but he was underwhelming last season. If the team's brass is willing to bite the bullet and bench him, they could pursue Tee Higgins or DK Metcalf via trade.
But if the Jaguars aren't interested in trading for wide receiver help, they could then roll with Tetairoa McMIllan at No. 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Either way, they'll have no shortage of options to improve Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons, which is the team's top priority this offseason.
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