Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be eyeing Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk if he becomes available this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking to add another legitimate wide receiver since last offseason but have continuously fallen short to do so. Many believe that won’t happen again this offseason, which is why the team has already been linked to several playmakers.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel have already been tabbed as two names to watch for the Steelers, but there’s another former 1,000-yard receiver that seems to be gaining some steam.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk could also be a salary cap casualty this offseason.
“Kirk might have been a victim of his own success. After a breakout season in 2021, the Jags signed him to what was a stunning deal at the time. His four-year, $72 million pact was a desperate move from a front office that just wanted to get solid receivers alongside Trevor Lawrence,” Barnwell writes. “Playing in an every-down role and running the sixth-most routes of any receiver in 2022, he then racked up 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns on a team that reached the playoffs.”
If the Jaguars do cut ties with Kirk in the coming weeks, it’s very likely the Steelers would be interested in adding him to their wide receiver room.
The 28-year-old has recorded 404 catches for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns in his seven-year NFL career. His best season came in 2022 when a had a career-high 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns.
Kirk didn’t have that type of production in 2024 as he registered just 27 catches for 379 yards and one touchdown, but that came in only eight games since his season was ended by a broken collarbone.
In fact, that injury may be the exact reason Kirk is not already a member of the Steelers. Pittsburgh reportedly nearly traded for Kirk at the trade deadline right before he suffered his season-ending injury.
It remains to been seen what Kirk’s health status is almost four months removed from the injury, but broken collarbones typically take about eight to 12 weeks to heal for adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Only time will tell whether Kirk will return as the same player, but it might be worth the risk for the wide receiver-needy Steelers.
