The Jacksonville Jaguars made the surprising decision to part ways with wide receiver Christian Kirk following two injury-plagued seasons. The official announcement of this move is anticipated to take place by Wednesday, as disclosed by a source familiar with the negotiations. The source, who requested anonymity, shared this information with The Associated Press, as neither party has officially confirmed Kirk’s departure.
The Jaguars are set to save a substantial $10.4 million against the salary cap for the year 2025 by releasing Kirk. However, this move will also incur a cost of $13.6 million in dead money for the team. Kirk had signed a lucrative four-year, $72 million contract during the 2022 free agency period. In his first season with the team, Kirk showcased impressive performance with 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which were career-high numbers. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Jaguars was marred by injuries, causing him to miss a total of 14 games over the past two seasons.
In 2023, Kirk was sidelined for the final five games due to a core muscle injury, and in the following season, he missed the last nine games after sustaining a collarbone fracture while attempting a diving catch on a deep pass. The Jaguars had explored the possibility of trading Kirk before the deadline in late October, but his injury thwarted any such plans. Additionally, attempts were made to renegotiate his contract to retain him for the 2025 season, but the negotiations failed to yield a resolution.
At 28 years old, Kirk boasts a career record of 404 receptions for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns over seven seasons, including his time with the Arizona Cardinals. During his stint with the Jaguars, he emerged as a reliable target for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, serving as the primary receiving option behind standout rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Kirk now enters a competitive market of free-agent receivers, with notable names such as Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper, Brandin Cooks, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Lockett also vying for teams’ attention.
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