HOUSTON – The Texans have restructured the contract for veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk to lower his salary-cap figure, according to league sources.
Kirk was originally due a $15.5 million base salary that was converted into a $14 million signing bonus for accounting purposes while lowering his base salary to the league minimum of $1.17 million, creating roughly $12 million in salary-cap savings with the addition of more void years to pro-rate his signing bonus amortization.
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The Texans previously restructured contracts for linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and wide receiver Nico Collins, creating $6.26 million and $9.8 million in salary cap space, respectively. The Texans are also expected to make adjustments to defensive end Denico Autry’s deal to create additional salary-cap space, per sources. Plus, Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter is a prime candidate for a contract extension and a raise in average compensation annually with the rapid rise in the elite edge rusher market with recent top-of-the-market deals for Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby.
Those void years automatically trigger if Kirk is on the roster the 23rd day prior to the start of the 2026 league year.
Kirk makes the same amount of money under this change to his deal, but now has guaranteed money that wasn’t there previously in the form of a signing bonus. He’s due up to $500,000 in 2025 in per game active roster bonuses, a $500,000 workout bonus and $3 million in not likely to be earned incentives.
Kirk can make $500,000 if he catches 80 or more passes, $500,000 more for 90 or more catches, and $500,000 for 100 or more catches.
Kirk can make $500,000 more if he has 1,000 receiving yards during the regular season, another $500,000 for 1,100 or more receiving yards and $500,000 more if he has 1,200 or more receiving yards.
Acquired in a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round selection, Kirk originally signed a four-year, $72 million deal in free agency in 2022 that included a $20 million signing bonus and $37 million total guaranteed. The deal was restructured by the Jaguars in 2023 with a conversion of his salary into a $14.4 million signing bonus and adding 2026 and 2027 voidable years.
Now, the Texans can pair Kirk with Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins in what figures to be a strong tandem. The Texans aren’t expected to bring back four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and figures to have a strong free agent market.
Plus, wide receiver Tank Dell is still recovering from a pair of knee surgeries to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral and medial collateral ligaments after suffering a gruesome knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in December. Dell is expected to miss the entire season, according to multiple league sources.
Kirk was originally scheduled to be released. Instead, the former Texas A&M Aggies standout stays in the AFC South division with a trade to join the defending division champions. The Texans made it clear the NFL scouting combine that wide receiver is an “area of emphasis” this offseason when coach DeMeco Ryans addressed an obvious need.
“It hurt us down the stretch, not having Stef, not having Tank,” Ryans said. “You need those playmakers, especially at the wide receiver position. It enhances your ability to move the football down the field and score points.”
This is similar to the scenario that unfolded last year when the Texans acquired Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon in a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals when he was scheduled to be released and then signed him to a three-year, $27 million contract extension.
Kirk, 28, is a shifty former Arizona Cardinals second-round selection.
Kirk was limited to 25 catches for 320 yards and a touchdown last season in eight games as his season ended on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone. He’s fully healthy now.
When healthy, Kirk has been ultra-productive, though.
Kirk has caught 404 career passes for 5,176 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He caught a career-high 85 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, his first season in Jacksonville, dipping to 57 catches for 857 yards and three touchdowns the following season.
With the Cardinals, his most productive season was in 2021 when he broke out with 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns.
Kirk was at NRG Stadium on Thursday along with new safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to take their physicals and tour the facility. Both trades were officially announced by the team Thursday.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
