Houston Texans Make Big Contract Move With WR

The Houston Texans swung a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire wide receiver Christian Kirk just before the start of free agency, and initially, it created quite a financial mess for the Texans.

Houston already had limited cap room to begin with, and Kirk was set to be owed $15.5 million in base salary next season. However, the Texans have made a significant move with Kirk's contract, converting nearly all of it ($14 million, to be exact) into a signing bonus.

Houston managed to lower Kirk's base salary to the league minimum at $1.17 million, which enabled the team to create around $12 million in cap space, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

This is a pretty major move for the Texans, as that is actually quite a bit of money to open up and will allow them to either make another impactful free-agent signing. It also gives Houston more wiggle room when it comes to signing its draft picks.

Kirk played in just eight games with the Jaguars this past season, missing the back half of 2024 due to a broken collarbone. During his time on the field, he logged 27 catches for 379 yards and a touchdown.

When healthy, the 28-year-old has proven to be a very capable receiver. The best example of that is his performance in Jacksonville back in 2022, when he hauled in 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight scores.

The problem is that Kirk has played in just 20 games over the last couple of seasons, so durability has become a concern for the former second-round pick.

The Texans just need to hope that Kirk can stay on the field and potentially represent a good No. 2 option behind Nico Collins with Tank Dell sidelined.

Read More Houston Texans Coverage

MORE: Former Texans Star Sends Emotional Message to Houston

MORE: Analyst Gets Real on Texans' Free Agency Moves

MORE: Texans Pull Off Intriguing Trade with Vikings

MORE: REPORT: Texans Made Surprising Push for Star Defender

MORE: Are the Texans in Trouble With Derek Stingley Jr.?