Jaguars' Josh Hines-Allen: Reported Christian Kirk Trade to Texans 'Can't Be Real'

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen is in disbelief that his ex-teammate, wide receiver Christian Kirk, has reportedly been traded to the AFC South division rival Houston Texans.

Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Jags were planning on releasing Kirk but instead traded him to Houston for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.

The Jaguars signed Kirk to a four-year, $72 million contract during the 2022 offseason. At the time, the deal was widely criticized as a massive overpay for a receiver who had fared well in his first four pro seasons as an Arizona Cardinal but never crossed the 1,000-yard mark.

Kirk was excellent in his first Jacksonville season, though, catching 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns on a Jags team that won the AFC South and overcame a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30 in the AFC Wild Card round.

Unfortunately, injuries curtailed Kirk's next two seasons, holding him to just 20 games total. He was on pace to surpass 1,000 yards again in 2023 before a core muscle injury ended his season after 12 contests (57/787/3).

In 2024, Kirk and the rest of the Jags offense struggled. He had just 27 receptions for 379 yards and a touchdown before a broken collarbone ended his season after eight games.

Jacksonville is under new leadership in general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, and the team wants to turn the page on the ex-No. 1 wideout.

The Jags' loss could be the Texans' gain. Houston needs wideout help, especially with Stefon Diggs now a free agent and Tank Dell potentially missing most of 2025 after a devastating knee injury suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs last December.

Kirk could very well be WR2 in Houston behind Nico Collins as the defending back-to-back AFC South champs look to take the next step. That may not make some of his ex-Jags teammates happy, and Hines-Allen in particular is understandably stunned.