Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin), who missed the final five games of last season with a groin injury, said he's feeling good and healthy this spring during organized team activities. The Jaguars receiving room lost Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones this offseason but added Gabe Davis via free agency and took Brian Thomas in the first round of the NFL draft. Especially with Ridley out of the picture in 2024, the 27-year-old Kirk is the team's most experienced pass-catcher who should be the favorite to be quarterback Trevor Lawrence's most trusted target. Before getting hurt last year, the former second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 out of Texas A&M had 57 catches (85 targets) for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 starts. In his first year with Jacksonville, Kirk had a career-high 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns.
Veteran wide receiver Rashard Higgins and linebacker Christian Kirksey are signing one-day contracts with the Cleveland Browns to retire with the organization, the team announced on Tuesday. Higgins was selected by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and racked up 137 receptions for 1,890 yards and 12 touchdowns in 82 games from 2016 to 2021. He spent the 2022 season with the Carolina Panthers but did not log a snap. Kirkey was a 2014 third-round pick by the Browns and played for the team until 2019 before brief stints with the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Buffalo Bills. Overall, he secured 779 tackles, 16.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and 34 passes defended in 114 career games.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday, but he's officially inactive on Sunday for the Week 18 regular season finale against the Tennessee Titans. The Jaguars were hoping to get Kirk back in a must-win game after he had made excellent progress following core-muscle surgery, but that won't be the case. The good news is that Jacksonville will be getting Zay Jones (hamstring, knee) back from a two-game absence, so quarterback Trevor Lawrence's top two targets against the Titans will be Calvin Ridley, Jones and tight end Evan Engram as they look to win the AFC South title. When healthy this year, the 27-year-old Kirk was dynamic with 57 receptions, 787 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets. If the Jags make the playoffs, there's a good chance Kirk will be ready to roll for wild-card weekend.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) continues to yield skepticism about his availability for Week 18 versus the Tennessee Titans, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. While the Jaguars showed confidence in Kirk by activating him from injured reserve on Saturday, Rapoport notes that his status is far from certain. If active, he would rank as a low-end WR2 in fantasy football, especially if Trevor Lawrence (right shoulder) suits up. Otherwise, Zay Jones would step up as the Jaguars' No. 2 receiver, putting him in the low-end WR3 tier for fantasy football. The Jaguars will confirm their list of inactives 90 minutes before kickoff.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) has been activated from the injured reserve on Saturday. His 21-day practice window opened this week and the team wasted little time getting Kirk back on the field. Having Kirk back on the field is a significant boost for this offense that needs to win this Week 18 matchup. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence (finger, shoulder) is still questionable for this contest. His absence would be a significant downgrade for this offense. Kirk has been a viable option for this team, but should be considered a risky WR3 for this game.
Jaguars Planning To Activate Christian Kirk From Injured Reserve
The Jacksonville Jaguars are planning to activate standout wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) prior to Sunday's showdown with the Tennessee Titans, according to sources. Kirk had core-muscle surgery but is apparently ready to return for a must-win game in Week 18 after missing the required four games while on Injured Reserve. He was limited in practice this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday's tilt against Tennessee. Kirk is expected to be a game-time decision. Getting him back against the Titans would be a huge boost to a Jaguars offense that has stumbled down the stretch, but it may not matter much if quarterback Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) misses his second straight game. The 27-year-old had 57 catches for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games before his injury. Kirk will be enticing for those playing DFS this weekend, but he'll also be volatile as a boom/bust option if he's active in what will be his first game action since Week 13.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) is considered a game-time decision for the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans by head coach Doug Pederson. NFL Network's James Palmer writes that players he's spoken to have been blown away by what they've seen from Kirk in practices this week after returning from core-muscle surgery. Kirk's speed is there, but he needs to show more side-to-side cuts to be cleared to play in a must-win game this weekend. The Jaguars must first activate the 27-year-old from Injured Reserve on Saturday if he is going to play. Before missing the last four games, Kirk was a huge piece of Jacksonville's offense, catching 57 of 85 targets for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. He'll be enticing as a DFS play if he's active, but he'll also be extremely risky if the team monitors his snaps in his first game back.
After returning to practice on Wednesday, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) was back on the practice field on Thursday as he continues to make his way back from a core muscle injury that landed him on Injured Reserve and required surgery. The Florida Times-Union's Demetrius Harvey says that Kirk isn't at full speed, but he's been amazed at the progress he's made. The 27-year-old could be officially activated from Injured Reserve by Saturday in order to play in a must-win Week 18 game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Kirk was heavily involved in the passing game for the Jaguars before his core injury, but he'll be a dangerous fantasy option if he returns this weekend since he hasn't played in a game since Week 13. If Kirk misses another game, it will be Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones and rookie Parker Washington in three-receiver sets.
Christian Kirk Designated To Return From Injured Reserve
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (core) has been designated to return from Injured Reserve, per the Jaguars PR account on X. Kirk suffered a core injury early in the Week 13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Jacksonville offense has struggled ever since. It's unclear when Kirk will be able to play, but the team now has 21 days to activate him to the roster. First things first, the team needs a win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday to secure a playoff berth and AFC South title. Assuming they qualify for the postseason, Kirk could be back for the Wild Card Round. Although he may not return before the regular season ends, he's likely to be a popular DFS pick on Wild Card weekend if the Jags take care of business and he's healthy enough to suit up.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will open wide receiver Christian Kirk's (groin) 21-day practice window on Wednesday, and he could return for Week 18's regular-season finale versus the Tennessee Titans. The Jaguars hope to have all hands on deck on Sunday, currently engaging in a three-way tie atop the AFC South. Jacksonville put Kirk on injured reserve due to a core muscle injury that required surgery following the Week 13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. With Kirk originally expected to miss between six and eight weeks, there's a chance that the 9-7 Jags may push for a sooner return. Before going down, the 27-year-old slot man was acting as one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence's (shoulder) favorite targets for the second year in a row despite Calvin Ridley's presence in 2023. Kirk reeled in 57 of his 85 targets for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 appearances, but he may not take on a full workload if available against the Titans.
