Sticker shock comes for us all.
Fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars experienced that feeling to a certain extent on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering window.
Jacksonville, flush with cap space heading into free agency, has been one of the more active teams over the past few days. First the Jaguars placed the franchise tag on offensive tackle Cam Robinson, locking him up for one more season at a price tag of nearly $17 million for the 2022 season. Then it was reported that Jacksonville had reached an agreement with offensive guard Brandon Scherff, with the guard expected to sign with Jacksonville at the start of the league year.
Then came the big one. Jacksonville also reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Christian Kirk, and when the reported deal was announced, the sticker shock set in:
Jaguars are giving former Cardinals WR Christian Kirk a four-year deal worth up to $84 million deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2022
At first blush, that is a big payday for a wide receiver like Kirk. In four years in the league, he has yet to crack 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Last year, arguably his most productive in the NFL, saw him catch 77 passes for 982 yards (both career-high marks) and five touchdowns.
Kirk is also primarily a slot receiver, as he aligned inside on 703 of his 967 offensive snaps this season, giving him the benefit of a two-way go when releasing off the line.
When the full terms of the deal were announced, perhaps the sticker shock abated a bit for Jacksonville fans:
Christian Kirk’s deal:
Signing bonus: $20M
Salaries: $1.5M, $15.5M, $14.5M, $15.5M
Annual roster bonuses: $500K
Annual workout bonuses: $500K
Annual incentives: $3M
2024 roster bonus: $1MMax value of $84M
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 14, 2022
So, provided Kirk lives up to expectations in the first season, where his salary is just $1.5 million, then the contract, or at least the salary, truly escalates.
Now the question becomes, how can he live up to his end of the deal? Let’s dive into his game, where he excels, and how Jacksonville can get the most out of him.
