The Houston Texans wasted no time this offseason to improve their roster, as they decided to trade for former Jacksonville Jaguars standout Christian Kirk on Thursday.
With free agency opening up on Wednesday, Mar 12, general manager Nick Caserio wasted no time to acquire a veteran receiver. The wide receiver market is considered to be weak this year, which could explain the organization’s efforts to find another pass catcher via trade. But the move may pay off for the Texans in the long run.
Kirk has put up solid numbers since entering the league back in 2018. The former second-round pick out of Texas A&M recorded nearly 3,000 receiving yard and 17 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. After signing with the Jaguars through free agency in 2022, Kirk eclipsed his first-ever 1,000 yard season in the NFL. But the veteran standout dealt with injuries over the course of the past two season, which led to many questioning his durability at the age of 28.
However, the new change in scenery could be beneficial for both Kirk and the Texans. Wideout Nico Collins has clearly established himself as not just the team’s top receiver, but as one of the best in the NFL. Collins’ presence on the field allows for Kirk to take on a secondary role in the passing attack. The last time he was in this type of role was back in his days with Arizona while playing alongside DeAndre Hopkins.
In addition to him not being the primary receiver, the acquisition of Kirk gives the Texans a speedy pass catcher that will spend most of his snaps in the slot. Last year, Houston’s offense would rotate Dell and Stefon Diggs in this spot prior to their season-ending injuries. Now, newly-hired offensive coordinator Nick Caley has a player that can strictly work in the slot.
This will be important for Caley, as he was the former pass game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams under head coach Sean McVay. The Rams are known for utilizing the slot within the passing game, with Cooper Kupp playing 66.7 percent of his snaps from the slot and Puka Nacua at 30 percent in 2024. While Kirk may not have a similar skillset to Kupp and Nacua, the fact that Caley will have a veteran receiver in that spot next season will be huge for Stroud and the offense.