Recently released free agent WR could be a fit for the Kansas City Chiefs both on the field and financially
The Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver corps has much improved from this time last year, but there's still a need there. They have a nice one-two punch in Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, but not a lot of quality depth behind them. As Rice continues to rehab from his season-ending knee injury in 2024 and […]
The Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver corps has much improved from this time last year, but there's still a need there.
They have a nice one-two punch in Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, but not a lot of quality depth behind them. As Rice continues to rehab from his season-ending knee injury in 2024 and with a potential suspension looming in 2025, the Chiefs need some insurance at the WR position.
One guy who they could consider is Christian Kirk, who was just released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday. Kirk is one of the more underrated slot WRs in the NFL, and has been productive when healthy. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued him over the last two years, which is a big part of why Jacksonville cut him.
Kirk excelled in former Jaguars coach Doug Pederson's offensive system. As you likely know, Pederson was Kansas City's offensive coordinator from 2013-2015 and served under Chiefs coach Andy Reid for seven years. It's probably safe to say that the transition from Pederson to Reid would be seamless for the seven-year veteran Kirk.
Kirk's best season came in 2022, when he caught 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. That is more production than any Chiefs WR has had since Tyreek Hill back in 2021. Injuries have cost Kirk 14 games from 2023-2024, but he was on pace for over 1,000 yards in '23 had he stayed healthy, and in '24 he averaged a career-high 14 yards per reception.
Many believed that the Jaguars overpaid Kirk when they gave him a four-year, $72 million contract in 2022. Perhaps they did, but he won't command anywhere close to that this offseason after missing nine games. It's reasonable to believe he can be signed for an affordable price on a short-term contract. Still just 28-years-old, Kirk should have some solid years ahead of him if he can stay healthy.
