The Jacksonville Jaguars plan to launch Christian Kirk per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Kirk led the group in all receiving classes in his first 12 months on the town, however his previous two seasons have been reduce brief resulting from accidents. Jacksonville will save $10.4 million in 2025 wage cap house by transferring on from the 28-year-old earlier than June 1st.
All of a sudden, the Jaguars have a roster gap at vast receiver. Second-year star Brian Thomas Jr. will partially fill Kirk’s void by taking part in extra snaps from the slot alignment, however the offense nonetheless wants starting-caliber choices to play alongside him. There isn’t an apparent second choice behind Thomas Jr. within the Jaguars’ receiver room proper now.
Whether or not Jacksonville finds their new No. 2 by way of an inside promotion, a commerce acquisition, a free agent signing, and/or a draft choose stays to be seen… however listed below are a number of names to observe.
Present Roster
The Jaguars properly seemed forward throughout the 2022 NFL Draft after they chosen Parker Washington within the sixth spherical. The Penn State product was a pure successor to Kirk as a smaller-bodied wideout who may win fast routes from the slot.
Sadly for Washington, occasions have modified. Jacksonville’s new entrance workplace could not envision the identical technique in head coach Liam Coen’s up to date offensive scheme.
Washington is yesterday’s slot receiver. He’s the cliché Wes Welker kind; he’d be greatest utilized in a ramification West Coast system so he has loads of house to work over the center of the sphere towards bigger-boded defenders like linebackers and safeties.
Coen is in search of at the moment’s slot receiver, which entails a number of roles. Are you able to not simply run routes out of the slot, but additionally knife throughout the backfield for a reduce block towards a defensive finish? Are you able to faux that block and come out to the flat? Are you able to be impactful as each a receiver and a blocker within the display screen sport? Are you able to be a risk on jet sweeps? Are you able to line up on the top of the road of scrimmage and double-team opposing linemen such as you’re a decent finish?
The offensive system that Coen runs is constructed on versatility. To have a flexible offense, you want versatile gamers. Washington is a good playmaker who deserves a spot on an NFL roster, however I’m pessimistic that he can perform all the assignments Coen would possibly want.
Different vast receivers to observe on the roster: Gabe Davis, Josh Reynolds, Josh Cephus
Commerce Market
There are some big-name receivers out there this offseason. Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin, DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Kupp, and DK Metcalf are all in search of new contracts.
Kupp is one among three gamers listed (becoming a member of Higgins and Metcalf) who technically stays below contract — they’re all simply in search of long-term safety and/or wage raises.
The Rams’ former receiving Triple Crown winner and Tremendous Bowl MVP can be an ideal slot in Jacksonville. Kupp can perform all these additional assignments that Coen (who beforehand coached below Sean McVay in Los Angeles) would need. Plus, his veteran management is one thing the whole group needs to be desirous about including. New normal supervisor James Gladstone has made it evident that intangibles are the highest precedence when in search of new additions to the constructing.
The large hiccup with Kupp is that he’s missed 19 video games throughout the previous three seasons. The 31-year-old is nearing the top of his profession. Nonetheless, if the Jaguars can purchase him for a Day 3 draft choose with out breaking the piggy financial institution to offer him a brand new contract, and get him for a minimum of 12 video games in 2025, that may be a significant win within the first 12 months of the Coen period.
Different vast receivers to observe within the commerce market: Tee Higgins, DK Metcalf, Tyreek Hill
Free Company
The belle of the ball in free company for the Jaguars might be Chris Godwin, who Coen will certainly try to recruit from Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ slot man was on tempo to shatter his earlier profession information in Coen’s 2024 offense earlier than dislocating his ankle in Week 7.
The Bucs might be borderline determined to convey him again (particularly if Coen’s Jaguars are within the race to signal him) and Godwin figures to be desirous about a reunion as nicely. So we’ll as an alternative focus our consideration on Giants free agent Darius Slayton, who is much much less more likely to return to his former group.
New York’s former second-round choose has stayed on the sphere by means of horrific offensive seasons largely resulting from his velocity. Slayton ran a 4.39 40-yard sprint on the 2019 NFL Mix, and since he entered the league, his 15.0 profession yards per reception ranks nineteenth amongst 180 wideouts (min. 100 targets).
Final month, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hinted, “Anticipate Jacksonville to search for a velocity receiver.” Slayton wouldn’t be a direct substitute to Kirk — he’d be deployed on the perimeter quite than doing soiled work nearer to the road of scrimmage — however his potential to make performs downfield would go a good distance towards springing Thomas Jr. open throughout the whole lot of the sphere.
If cash have been no object, Kupp and Slayton can be perfect veteran matches in Jacksonville. Whether or not these two names grow to be Jaguars or not, count on the group to search for a contemporary slot and a fringe speedster to spherical out their receiver room (i.e., Thomas Jr.) this offseason.
Different vast receivers to observe in free company: Tyler Lockett, Josh Palmer, Demarcus Robinson
NFL Draft
Parker Washington, Gabe Davis, and tight finish Evan Engram are nonetheless below contract as of this writing. The Jaguars don’t have so as to add a pass-catcher this month (particularly contemplating it’s removed from their solely roster gap). Although there are a number of possible veteran choices, Jacksonville will most likely handle the place with one among its 10 draft picks.
If “versatility” and “intangibles” are what the Jaguars search, they might have a tough time passing on Elic Ayomanor with the thirty sixth total choose. His work ethic is clear given how a lot he’s improved throughout his three seasons at Stanford, and he nonetheless has room to develop.
Ayomanor wins as a route runner with tempo quite than burst, however that doesn’t imply he doesn’t play with urgency. His competitiveness is displayed in every section of his sport (blocking included) and he’s obtained a really perfect construct with sufficient lengthy velocity to be a surefire top-50 choice.
Elic Ayomanor vs Travis Hunter (’23)
7 targets, 7 catches, 145 yards, 2 TDs
Relentlessly beat him on slants on 2 clutch 4th Q drives after which a TD in OT. Doing this to the most effective participant within the class as a Redshirt Freshman says quite a bit. Elic’s a High 30 participant, High 5 WR for me pic.twitter.com/cddUCTTUu6
— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) February 16, 2025
Different vast receivers to observe within the draft: Tet McMillan, Jack Bech, Xavier Restrepo
How do you assume Kirk needs to be changed, Jaguars followers? Tell us within the feedback beneath!