Source: Texans acquire wide receiver Christian Kirk in trade from Jaguars for 2026 seventh-round draft pick

HOUSTON – The Texans upgraded a thin wide receiver corps Thursday when they traded for veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round selection, according to a league source.

Now, the Texans can pair Kirk with Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins in what figures to be a strong tandem. The Texans aren’t expected to bring back four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and figures to have a strong free agent market.

Plus, 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.

Kirk was scheduled to be released. Instead, the former Texas A&M Aggies standout 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 is an “area of emphasis” this offseason when coach DeMeco Ryans addressed an obvious need.

This is similar to the scenario that unfolded last year when the Texans acquired Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon in a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals when he was scheduled to be released and then signed him to a three-year, $27 million contract extension.

Kirk, 28, is a shifty former Arizona Cardinals second-round selection who originally joined the Jaguars on a four-year, $84 million deal three years ago.

He’s due a $15.5 million base salary this year.

Kirk has a $29,411 per game active roster bonus, a $500,000 workout bonus, plus $3 million in not likely to be earned incentives for catches and yards. And 3026, 2027 are automatically voidable years.

Kirk was limited to 25 catches for 320 yards and a touchdown last season in eight games as his season ended on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone. He’s fully healthy now.

When healthy, Kirk has been ultra-productive, though.

Kirk has caught 404 career passes for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns.

He caught a career-high 85 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, his first season in Jacksonville, dipping to 57 catches for 857 yards and three touchdowns the following season.

With the Cardinals, his most productive season was in 2021 when he broke out with 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com