The Washington Commanders are going to have a long line of NFL players — especially on the offensive side of the ball — who will be waiting to see if the franchise offers them a chance to play with superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels when free agency opens on March 12.
It’s important the Commanders find the right fit and not just go for headline-grabbing names. Which means keeping an eye out for players they already know will fit their system.
One of those could be Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, who seems like a prime candidate to be released to create salary cap space. Kirk had some of the best years of his career playing for current Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury when he was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022.
The Jaguars wildly overpaid for Kirk before the 2022 season with a 4-year, $72 million contract. With all of the guaranteed money paid out, keeping Kirk on the roster in 2025 would cost Jacksonville a whopping $16.2 million.
That’s not money the rebuilding Jaguars can afford to pay a player who only had 27 receptions for 379 yards and 1 touchdown in 2024 after he missed 9 games with a broken collarbone suffered against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put Kirk on his list of the best wide receivers likely to be cut by their current teams.
“… The Commanders need to add help at wide receiver beyond Terry McLaurin,” Barnwell wrote on February 17. “Luke McCaffrey should have a larger role in his second NFL season, but it wouldn’t be shocking if Kirk reunited with his old coach to play in the slot for Jayden Daniels.”
Kirk Lit Up SEC Before Leaving for NFL Riches
Kirk was a 5-star recruit out of powerhouse Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, before becoming a 3-time All-SEC selection at Texas A&M. Kirk was a scoring machine for the Aggies with 4,832 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns in 3 seasons.
Kirk left school with one year of eligibility remaining and was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft. He was a role player through his first 3 seasons before he had a breakout season with 77 receptions for 982 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2021.
That was perfect timing for Kirk, who parlayed that into a massive free agent deal with the Jaguars in March 2022 that included $37 million in guaranteed money.
“I love Christian,” Kingsbury told Pro Football Network in March 2022. “He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever been around as far as doing everything right and working hard and a tremendous player.”
Kirk had career highs of 82 receptions, 1,108 yards and 8 touchdowns for the Jaguars in 2022 and scored touchdowns in both of Jacksonville’s playoff games.
Last 2 Seasons Defined by Kirk’s Injuries
Any bet on Kirk by the Commanders would be minimal. Think along the lines of a 1-year, $3 million contract offer. The reason he might be had for that low of a price is because injuries have taken their toll on Kirk’s production the last 2 seasons.
Kirk missed the last 5 games of the 2023 season with a core muscle injury before breaking his collarbone in 2024. A productive season with the Commanders in 2025 could be the springboard to a bigger payday in 2026.
