If you’re an offensive-leaning free agent, there is a good chance you’re going to get interest from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
First, it was offensive lineman Brandon Scherff to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence. And now, it is Christian Kirk, the free-agent receiver who will soon be catching passes from the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in Jacksonville:
The #Jaguars aren’t done. They are expected to sign former #AZCardinals WR Christian Kirk to a large deal, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2022
Not only is Kirk Jacksonville-bound, but it also sounds like (based on that tweet from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport) it will be a hefty chunk of change, too. Early projections had Kirk getting something in the $12 million per year range. But lately, chatter had been that Kirk could get something in the area of $17 million (or more!) as a free agent. Few teams had more to spend than the Jags, so these two sides linking up makes sense.
Unfortunately, it comes at the Bears’ expense. Kirk was one of the receivers the Bears were connected to shortly after Amari Cooper was sent from the Cowboys to the Browns in a trade. A day later, a Phoenix-based reporter tweeted about Chicago’s long-standing interest in Kirk as a free agent. But, evidently, the interest wasn’t enough to swing a deal.
We’ll update this with the money, which should give us clarity as to what receiver-starved teams will be spending on others in the market. In the meantime, we’ll be updating our Bears wish list by crossing Kirk’s name off the list.
UPDATE — The deal is a BIG one:
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