HOUSTON – Bolting into his route, Christian Kirk escaped an attempted jam at the line of scrimmage and created space and an inviting downfield target for Texans quarterback Davis Mills.
It’s a practiced motion for the Texans’ veteran wide receiver, one he excels at as he operates as a proven slot.
Recommended Videos
Heading into his eighth NFL season, the former Texas A&M standout has caught 404 career passes for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns on 623 targets. His success rate as a reliable pass catcher, when healthy, and his ability to run after the catch and score are uncommon commodities.
That’s why Kirk is here as the replacement for former Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Acquired in a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kirk figures into the equation as a complementary presence and starter working in tandem with Pro Bowl selection Nico Collins.
Kirk, 28, is also the oldest wide receiver on the roster and is providing mentoring and leadership to a young group.
“I have been acquiring a lot of knowledge and have been around a lot of really good receivers in the NFL,” said Kirk, a former teammate of Larry Fitzgerald and A.J. Green with the Arizona Cardinals. “Really good is selling them short, Hall of Famers. Just passing down that knowledge to the young guys and helping as much as I can.
“Within the offense just making the plays that come my way. Help anyway I can to help make this offense more explosive that it already is. So far it has been good. I am just taking it day by day and cementing that role.”
Kirk was limited to 27 catches for 379 yards and one touchdown last season in eight games and seven starts for the Jaguars before he broke his collarbone.
When healthy, Kirk has been ultra-productive, though.
He caught a career-high 85 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, his first season in Jacksonville. He dipped to 57 catches for 857 yards and three touchdowns the following season. He’s fully healthy now.
“Slot magician man,” Collins said. “Slot magic, man, he is in the slot going crazy. That’s one guy you need. Just another playmaker.”
Kirk has played in 20 games combined over the past two seasons after starting every game in 202 in his first season with the Jaguars.
Durability has been the only real question mark surrounding Kirk. Otherwise, he’s checked all boxes.
“That has been the unfortunate part about the past two years, there are injuries that are the unfortunate fate of football and out of my control,” Kirk said. “But, right now, I feel great. Being here, I have gotten stronger and faster since I have gotten here. I just feel really good and feel healthy. I am just looking forward to building through that throughout the offseason.”
There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the arrival of rookie wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Higgins (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) is a classic big wide receiver who has drawn comparisons to Collins. Noel has an extensive background as a speedy slot receiver who excels after the catch and on special teams.
And Kirk is a big part of the new-look receiver corps.
The Texans restructured his contraact to lower his salary-cap figure, according to league sources.
Kirk was originally due a $15.5 million base salary that was converted into a $14 million signing bonus for accounting purposes while lowering his base salary to the league minimum of $1.17 million, creating roughly $12 million in salary-cap savings with the addition of more void years to pro-rate his signing bonus amortization.
Kirk makes the same amount of money under this change to his deal, but now has guaranteed money that wasn’t there previously in the form of a signing bonus. He’s due up to $500,000 in 2025 in per game active roster bonuses, a $500,000 workout bonus and $3 million in not likely to be earned incentives.
Kirk can make $500,000 if he catches 80 or more passes, $500,000 more for 90 or more catches, and $500,000 for 100 or more catches.
Kirk can make $500,000 more if he has 1,000 receiving yards during the regular season, another $500,000 for 1,100 or more receiving yards and $500,000 more if he has 1,200 or more receiving yards.
Kirk originally signed a four-year, $72 million deal in free agency in 2022 that included a $20 million signing bonus and $37 million total guaranteed. The deal was restructured by the Jaguars in 2023 with a conversion of his salary into a $14.4 million signing bonus and adding 2026 and 2027 voidable years.
With the business out of the way, Kirk is hard at work assimilating to offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s offense. There’s a lot of motion in this offense, much more than previous offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
“Nick is all ball,” Kirk said. “Very intelligent and very smart. He does a great job communicating to us what the expectations are, route detail, motions, formations, whatever the case may be. He has done a great job laying that out for us. It has been primarily easy just being able to learn it how he has been able to install it.
“This offense is dynamic, a lot of motions a lot of pre-snap adjustments for the defense to have to deal with. I think you will see a lot of guys in different places to be able to make plays.”
So far, Kirk has been a major hit with his smooth transition to the Texans.
“Everything, everything has impressed me,” Ryans said. “His work ethic, what he brings to the field, his leadership and just his advice. He is a guy that you need to get advice from. He has been around this game for a long time.
“So, it’s only right that you learn from him. I’m glad he is a part of this unit and glad he is a part of this team. It’s only right that we build and keep going.”
Now, the Texans can pair Kirk with Collins in what figures to be a strong tandem.
Wide receiver Tank Dell is still recovering from a pair of knee surgeries to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral and medial collateral ligaments after suffering a gruesome knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in December. Dell is expected to miss the entire season, according to multiple league sources.
“It hurt us down the stretch, not having Stef, not having Tank,” Ryans said. “You need those playmakers, especially at the wide receiver position. It enhances your ability to move the football down the field and score points.”
Kirk was originally scheduled to be released. Instead, the former Aggies star stays in the AFC South division with a trade to join the defending division champions. The Texans made it clear the NFL scouting combine that wide receiver was an “area of emphasis” this offseason when Ryans addressed an obvious need.
“The transition has been nothing short of amazing,” Kirk said. “Everybody in the organization has been welcoming, players, coaches, staff. Playing at Texas A&M, it is good to be back. Since I have been back in the state of Texas and even down the street from A&M so I am definitely looking forward to getting back over there. It has been great. Now that we are on the field, getting out, the system, laying out the foundation, I have just been really happy.”
Kirk has never been to a Super Bowl. He’s happy to be with a defending AFC South champion that has set its ambitions on making a deep playoff run.
“Just being in the building these past couple of months, it makes sense why they won the division these past two years,” Kirk said. “Just with what DeMeco has done and the culture, foundation, and standard. Everyone comes to work here, especially this year.
“He has laid it out that it is our goal to put a bull on the face of that ring and I love that. I love that is the vision, that is the standard because that is what we are here for. Everyone comes to work and wants to make each other better. I am definitely excited to be a part of it.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
