On Wednesday, reports suggested that the Jacksonville Jaguars planned to release wide receiver Christian Kirk after three years—only for the team to seemingly reverse course 24 hours later.
The Jaguars are trading Kirk to the Houston Texans for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It is a rare instance of an intradivision trade in the NFL, and it had at least one Jacksonville player incredulous.
"Kirk to Houston can’t be real," Jaguars defensive end Josh HInes-Allen wrote on social media Thursday afternoon.
Kirk, 28, spent the last three seasons with Jacksonville—helping the team make the playoffs in 2022.
Kirk to Houston can’t be real.
— Joshua Hines-Allen (@JoshHinesAllen) March 6, 2025
The move saved the Jaguars significant money against the salary cap, as Kirk signed a four-year, $72 million contract with Jacksonville before the 2022 season.
The Jaguars finished a disappointing 4–13 in 2024, while the Texans went 10–7 and won the AFC South.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen Can't Believe Intradivision Christian Kirk Trade.
