The Jacksonville Jaguars lost another game in humiliating fashion, making calls for a Christian Kirk trade grow louder and louder. Following their second-half collapse in 2023, Jacksonville hoped to bounce back in 2024 with the recently extended Trevor Lawrence. That hasn’t happened, and the Jaguars enter Week 7 with an abysmal 1-5 record. With a playoff run out of the question, Jacksonville could embrace the inevitable and start dealing their established veterans for draft picks who could help in 2025 and beyond.
One of the most likely trade candidates on the roster is wide receiver Christian Kirk. Originally signed to a four-year, $72 million contract that effectively broke the market in 2022, Kirk is one of the few productive players on the otherwise disastrous Jaguars offense and is drawing interest from around the league, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. While La Canfora doesn’t mention specific teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens make the most sense as potential suitors.
Christian Kirk “Drawing Interest” On Trade Market As Jaguars Keep Losing
Even though they’re 5-0, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have not been their usual dominant selves on offense. After winning a Super Bowl despite a terrible wide receiver depth chart, the Chiefs added speedy deep threat Marquise Brown in free agency, selected Xavier Worthy in the first round of the NFL Draft, and paired both of them with an up-and-coming receiver in Rashee Rice. On paper, these three and tight end Travis Kelce formed one of the deepest groups of pass-catchers in the league, and having all four would make a Christian Kirk trade irrelevant.
Unfortunately, games aren’t played on paper, and a series of injuries could force a Christian Kirk trade. Marquise Brown suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, and Rashee Rice is down for the count after getting tackled by Mahomes on an interception. Worthy’s had his moments but still needs to prove he can handle a featured role, while Kelce isn’t getting any younger. Christian Kirk excels in the short and intermediate portions of the field, making the trade target an ideal replacement for Rashee Rice. With him in the picture, Kansas City’s offense should once again be one of the better units in football.
More Help In Baltimore
After their 0-2 start, the Baltimore Ravens are on a four-game winning streak thanks to the running game. Powered by Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have bulldozed over opponents while using the passing game as a complementary part of their attack. This strategy can usually work, but all the elite AFC offenses mean the Ravens will enter a shootout at some point. They took down the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5’s high-scoring affair, but if they want to ensure they win those types of games against better defenses, they should trade for Christian Kirk.
2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers has lived up to his billing, hauling in 33 receptions for 401 yards and one touchdown on the young season. Unfortunately, he’s the only consistent part of the passing attack, as the rest of the depth chart has not carried their end of the bargain. While Isaiah Likely is a fine player, Mark Andrews is slowing down and Rashod Bateman cannot establish a rapport with Jackson. While Flowers can do a little bit of everything, Christian Kirk and his ability to get open over the middle makes him an ideal trade target, as Baltiomre’s high-powered run game ensures there should be open passing lanes in the middle of the field.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine – USA Today Sports
