The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows last year when they paid Christian Kirk like a No. 1 wide receiver. But the four-year, $72 million contract proved to be a good deal for the Jaguars when Kirk racked up 84 receptions, 1,108 yards, and eight touchdowns.
A year later, hopes are even higher for the Jacksonville offense after it added former Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley in a trade. But what does that mean for Kirk, who was targeted 133 times during the 2022 season?
Neither Ridley nor Kirk seem too worried about it.
“There’s no sense of competition or ego within our [receiver] room,” Kirk told Hays Carlyon of 1010XL earlier this week. “I show up to work and try to be the best that I can for this football team. Whatever we can do to help win football games, if at the end of the year we’re holding up a Super Bowl trophy, I could care less if I’m receiver No. 1, 2, or 7. As long as I’m there and I’ve had a part in getting that.”
Ridley echoed that sentiment when he talked to reporters, saying that his positive relationship with Kirk dates back to when the two met in high school.
“A dude like that, he’s never going to feel some type of way,” Ridley said of Kirk. “I’m never going to feel some type of way. So is Zay [Jones]. We’re never going to feel some type of way because we’re all competing toward the same thing. We’re trying to go to the playoffs, Super Bowl, et cetera. And I know if we do that, I know all of us had something to do with it.
“We’re building and working together. I want to make him better, he wants to make me better. If he’s doing good, I know I’m doing good and Zay’s doing good. It all works.”
The Jaguars attempted 596 passes during the 2022 season and 254 of them went to Kirk or Jones. While the departure of Marvin Jones Jr, who was targeted 81 times, leaves room for Ridley to step into the mix, there are still a lot of mouths to feed in the Jacksonville offense. Fortunately for the team, it doesn’t look it’ll cause much drama.
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