NFL Trade Rumors: Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Christian Kirk Suffers Season-Ending Injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars' passing attack suffered a devastating blow on Sunday. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, wide receiver Christian Kirk fractured his collarbone in the Jaguars' 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers and will miss the remainder of the regular season.

#Jaguars WR Christian Kirk, who left today’s game early with a shoulder injury, suffered a fractured collarbone, source said. He’s out for the season. pic.twitter.com/6a0Uep63A8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 28, 2024

Kirk caught two of his five targets for 59 yards before exiting yesterday. He ends his season with 27 receptions for 379 yards and one touchdown.

Kirk joined the Jaguars in 2022 on a four-year, $72 million deal after four years with the Arizona Cardinals. At the time, the significance of that investment drew much scrutiny and skepticism, but Kirk has mostly proved his doubter wrong. He immediately rewarded the Jaguars with a career-best 1108 receiving yards during the 2022 regular season, and he has generally served as the team's leading receiver.

That being said, Kirk had begun to take a back seat over the Jaguars' first eight games this year. Rookie first-round pick Brian Thomas has hit the ground running as an explosive and athletic pass catcher, averaging an impressive 71.6 receiving yards per game and 11.6 yards per target. He may see his opportunities increase going forward.

Still, Kirk's injury should significantly hinder the Jaguars' passing attack for the back half of the season, particularly since the Jaguars are unlikely to do anything drastic to replace him. They're sitting on a 2-6 record, and parting ways with valuable cap space or draft picks to acquire a capable pass catcher isn't going to salvage their season. Ultimately, the Jaguars should prioritize saving their resources for the 2025 season.