Despite showing trade interest in him during the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t land WR Christian Kirk for 2025. The Jacksonville Jaguars are trading him to the Houston Texans, per multiple reports Thursday.
Per Tom Pelissero, the Texans are giving up a 2026 seventh-round pick for Kirk. However, they are absorbing all of his $16.5 million base salary in 2025, a big reason why the compensation is so light. It’s a similar outcome as the Deebo Samuels deal that sent him from San Francisco to Washington, though the compensation for Kirk is even lighter.
The Jaguars reportedly planned to release Kirk ahead of the new league year but evidently found a last-second trade partner in Houston, another team in need of wide receiver help. It creates a rare in-division trade, keeping Kirk in the AFC South.
Pittsburgh reportedly was set to trade for Christian Kirk before the 2024 deadline. But Kirk suffered a season-ending collarbone injury that scrapped those plans, leaving the Steelers to pivot to the New York Jets’ Mike Williams.
Strong safety DeShon Elliott and linebacker Patrick Queen immediately recruited Kirk upon the news of his impending release. Ultimately, Kirk never became a free agent.
In eight games in 2024, Kirk caught 27 passes for 379 yards and one touchdown. His best season came in 2022, going over the 1,100-yard mark in his first season with Jacksonville as a high-prized free agent signing.
The Steelers’ receiver search continues. Though they missed out on Kirk, this offseason offers plenty of other veteran free agents and possible trades. Pittsburgh has called adding a wide receiver a “priority” after poorly filling the No. 2 spot last season. Other options include Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Darius Slayton, Amari Cooper as free agents and DK Metcalf and Cooper Kupp through trade. In 2024, Pittsburgh’s No. 2 receiver was Van Jefferson. He logged over 700 offensive snaps but caught just 24 passes.
The Texans were also in need of adding a receiver. Stefon Diggs is coming off injury and slated to hit free agency while Tank Dell suffered a serious leg injury late in the year.
