The New England Patriots are in dire need of wide receiver help — and they just saw a notable target come off the board for a dirt-cheap price.
As first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by the AP, the Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to trade wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. The actual trade reportedly won’t go through until the start of the new league year next week.
The 28-year-old Kirk played in just eight games last season, catching 27 passes for 379 yards. His best season game in 2022, when he caught 84 passes for 1,108 yards and 8 touchdowns — all career highs.
The Jaguars had reportedly told Kirk that they planned to release him in a move that would save the team $10.4 million against the salary cap.
But instead of cutting him, the Jaguars managed to get something in return when the Texans swooped in and offered some draft capital.
Jacksonville was going to eat some dead cap money either way by parting ways with Kirk. By trading him instead, they at least get something in return. As for the Texans, they gave up almost nothing in order to make sure they got a receiver with a 1,000-yard season on his resume.
Could the Patriots have made a move for Kirk? Absolutely. They have the cap space to take on the $15.5 million that would be left on his deal after a trade. New England would also have the flexibility to sign Kirk to a long-term deal to keep him around longer.
However, Kirk probably isn’t New England’s ideal target for a receiver with a high price tag. The 5-foot-11 receiver primarily plays out of the slot. The Patriots already have a shifty receiver who can do damage inside in the form of Pop Douglas. If New England it’s going to spring for a veteran, it would probably be for a bigger outsider receiver.
Kirk is currently in the final year of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed in 2022 free agency to join Jacksonville.