Tag: Christian Kirk

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. avoids major injury, ‘day-to-day’

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. avoids major injury, ‘day-to-day’

Jaguars star rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. avoided a major injury against the Packers in Week 8, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson shared Monday.

Thomas suffered a chest contusion as he caught a 14-yard, brief-lead-taking touchdown in the third quarter of Jacksonville’s loss to Green Bay on Sunday, per Pederson.

“He’s just got a little contusion on the left side of his chest. It’s going to be sore,” Pederson said. “It’s kind of a day-to-day thing.”

Thomas underwent an MRI earlier Monday which did not show any significant damage, the wide receiver told ESPN’s Michael DiRocco.

Pederson suggested there is a chance Thomas will be able to play in Week 9 when the Jaguars travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles, depending on how Thomas handles his soreness throughout the week.

“Yes. I think it’s more about how much he can tolerate,” said Pederson.

Thomas finished Week 8 with three receptions for 60 yards and one touchdown bringing his rookie season totals to 33 catches for 573 yards (17.4 yards per reception) and five touchdowns through eight games.

Jaguars will be without top two wide receivers for matchup vs. Eagles in Week 9

Jaguars will be without Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. for matchup vs. Eagles in Week 9

Doug Pederson’s Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) are headed to Philadelphia to face the red-hot Eagles on Sunday afternoon, and they’ll be without their top two wide receivers.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. could miss 2-4 weeks with a chest/rib injury suffered Sunday in the 30-27 loss to the Packers. Monday scans will determine the full extent and next steps, though.

The star rookie ranks tied for sixth in the NFL with 573 yards.

The news about Thomas follows news that Christian Kirk also suffered a fractured collarbone in the loss to Green Bay. Kirk, 27, will finish the 2024 season with 27 catches for 379 yards with one touchdown.

Jacksonville will now turn to veteran wideout Gabe Davis (18-217-2) and Parker Washington (6-67-0), while tight end Brenton Strange could see an uptick in targets.

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Report: Jaguars WR Christian Kirk’s injury vs. Packers season-ending

Report: Jaguars WR Christian Kirk’s injury vs. Packers season-ending

Jaguars starting slot receiver Christian Kirk suffered a season-ending broken left collarbone in Jacksonville’s 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 8, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported late Sunday.

Schefter added that Kirk had drawn trade interest last week with the NFL trade dealing approaching on Nov. 5.

Kirk landed on his upper left arm while trying to make a leaping catch on 3rd and 11 in the fourth quarter, with Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper falling on top of him and breaking up the pass.

Kirk finished the game with two receptions for 59 yards and his year with 27 receptions for 379 yards and one touchdown.

The 27-year-old’s season comes to a close early for a second consecutive year. A core muscle injury ended Kirk’s 2023 campaign in Week 13.

In 37 games since signing a four-year, $72 million free-agent contract with Jacksonville in 2022, Kirk has logged 168 receptions for 2,274 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had, ever been around. One of the smartest players I’ve been around. One of the best leaders I’ve been around,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said of Kirk after the game.

“You saw him cut up today too, he was rolling, he was getting going. Just a very unfortunate event. God doesn’t make mistakes, there’s a plan. His will is better than any of us could imagine, so he’ll be just fine.”

Kirk was one of six Jaguars starters with an injury reported during Jacksonville’s loss to Green Bay.

ESPN: What might the Jaguars do at the NFL trade deadline?

ESPN: What might the Jaguars do at the NFL trade deadline?

The NFL trade deadline is looming, at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 5, under two weeks away.

The Jaguars have found their footing after an 0-4 start to the season with two wins in the last three weeks. Still, they face a steep uphill battle to emerge as contenders this year — only one team has ever made the playoffs after losing the first four games of their campaign.

Accordingly, Jacksonville is viewed as a potential seller with the trade deadline approaching. The Jaguars already sent defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7, and there remain players on their roster that could attract interest from other teams.

ESPN analysts and team reporters gathered on Wednesday to break down possible trade candidates and targets for every NFL squad, with the group concluding Jacksonville is likely to subtract players from its roster in exchange for resources over the coming 12 days.

“The Jaguars’ underachieving roster will elicit trade inquiries. Rookie-scale players like safety Andre Cisco, running back Travis Etienne Jr. and linebacker Devin Lloyd could be tempting,” ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler wrote.

“I’m not saying the Jags completely start over, but we’ve seen this script before with struggling teams. Jacksonville also has three starting-caliber offensive tackles, with Walker Little the odd man out. Teams are always looking for OT help.”

ESPN’s Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco built upon Fowler mentioning Little. But instead of considering Little a trade candidate, he raised the fourth-year Jaguar as someone who could benefit from Jacksonville moving another player: Offensive tackle Cam Robinson.

“[Robinson] is a solid veteran (81.7% pass block win rate) in the final year of a three-year, $52.75 million contract, and the Jaguars are unlikely to re-sign him,” said DiRocco. “He could be a short-term rental for a team with an injured left tackle with the potential to sign to a new deal.

“As a swing tackle, Little (90.0% pass block win rate) has been reliable when he has started games for Robinson in the past, so he could slide into the starting spot without a drop-off.”

Robinson is currently in the NFL concussion protocol, which led Little to take over at left tackle for Jacksonville in Week 7.

Looking around the league, the team of ESPN analysts suggested the Carolina Panthers should be interested in Little, the Dallas Cowboys in Etienne, the Seattle Seahawks in Lloyd and the Atlanta Falcons in wide receiver Christian Kirk.

Kirk, Jacksonville’s starting slot receiver, has caught 25 passes for 320 yards and one touchdown this season. Etienne, one of the Jaguars’ top running backs, has rushed 56 times for 230 yards and two touchdowns while nursing shoulder and hamstring injuries this year. Lloyd, who starts at linebacker, has 47 tackles including three for loss, one forced fumble and two pass breakups.

But what if the Jaguars intend to add a player, rather than let one of multiple go? ESPN analyst Benjamin Solak floated Atlanta edge rusher Zach Harrison.

“The Jaguars likely won’t be acquiring anybody at this year’s trade deadline, but I suppose Harrison is a fine target,” Solak wrote.

“A 2023 third-round selection, Harrison fit in the Ryan Nielsen defense in Atlanta. But now that Nielsen is in Jacksonville, Harrison has fallen to 12th in front-seven snaps (85) for Raheem Morris’ defense. I imagine he’d cost little for the Jaguars, who have worryingly thin edge rusher depth behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.”

Harrison has produced eight total tackles this season, after recording 33 tackles and three sacks as a rookie.

All-22 review: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

All-22 review: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter their London road trip with one tick in the win column for the first time since last season, following their 37-34 victory over Indianapolis. 

It was a feel-good victory for a franchise that needed it and saw its offense play its best football of the season. While there were still some inconsistencies with the offensive play-calling and decision-making by the coaching staff, the Jaguars should feel good as they make the trip overseas.

This week, Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at the All-22 to explore some of the standouts from Sunday’s triumph. Let’s take a deeper dive into the game film.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s big day

Two games ago, talk began of whether the Jaguars were right to extend Lawrence following a string of games where the former No. 1 draft selection looked lost and broken as a passer. After one game against the lowly Colts defense, that narrative has quieted significantly.

Lawrence was excellent in Sunday’s victory, completing 28-of-34 passes for 371 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His completion percentage over expected was 10.3 percent along with a 10.8 EPA. The film matches the box score and analytics and it was exciting to watch.

The former Clemson Tiger standout did an excellent job spreading the ball around, including passes to nine different receivers. His offensive line also gave him opportunities to keep himself and the offense on schedule, allowing him to get the ball out with efficiency.

Throughout the game, Lawrence made the correct reads and had great full-field progressions on longer-developing plays. He was accurate and on time with his passes, fitting passes into tight windows and trusting his reads and progressions. Lawrence was able to make the big throws when they were available, including two big completions to wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk.

While Lawrence was excellent, he wasn’t perfect, as seen by his interception. Midway into the third quarter on a second-and-intermediate, the Jaguars came out of empty against the Colts’ Cover 4. Instead of taking the open outlets to Kirk in the middle of the field or tight end Brenton Strange underneath off the left tackle, Lawrence chose to test the field vertically and it cost him with a throw into double coverage.

Overall, though, Lawrence must continue stacking performances close to this each week. It will allow him to gain more confidence as a passer while helping his team rack up more wins. 

Key Jaguars defensive performances

While defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen gave up 34 points and nearly 450 total yards, there were still plenty of standouts from this defense despite a rough day.

Cornerback Montaric Brown had a solid day, despite some big plays given up, he never seemed out of position overall. He’s a physical tackler in the run game and is generally a solid press-man corner who displays adequate one and two-hand jams at the line of scrimmage.

Brown will play with physicality in the five-yard contact window and use that to his advantage. He also flashes a patient backpedal that will allow him to mirror receivers more consistently.

In the trenches, pass rusher Travon Walker had an exceptional day with three sacks and three tackles for loss. His speed-to-power was freakish and makes a handful for any opposing offensive tackle. His rare get-off and athleticism will overwhelm them and that was the case on numerous pressures and a couple of his sacks. 

The scary thing about Walker is that he has added more rush combinations that make him a better player. If he continues to take over games like he did Sunday, the rest of the league will begin to take notice of an edge rusher who is on his way to being one of the best in the game. 

Second-year linebacker Ventrell Miller was steady against the Colts with seven tackles while displaying a level of competency in coverage drops. He’s also a physical tackler and doesn’t see ball carrier break his tackles often. 

Miller showed straight-line explosiveness to close through the alley and make tackles for short gains, proving Sunday that he could be in store for more playing time as the linebacker room gets healthy.

Young skill players showed out with explosive games

When Jacksonville drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round this offseason, he offered the ceiling to be a top vertical threat in the NFL in a short time while having plenty of room to grow as a playmaker.

Sunday was the day Thomas finally made a significant impact where defenses had to respect his vertical ability. On his 85-yard touchdown reception, the former LSU standout reached a top speed of 22.15 mph, the fastest by a ball carrier this season and by a Jaguars player in the Next Gen Stats era. 

Thomas continued to show progression as a receiver with separation underneath on short in and out-breaking routes. While he did get free vertically on his long touchdown due to blown coverage, his speed was a sight to see as he zoomed away from the Colts secondary.

As it’s been known for some time, Thomas is great with separation on vertical planes, using the threat of speed to create it. He is still learning, yet progressing, finding spots against empty zone areas while making himself a potential outlet for Lawrence in run-after-catch opportunities.

Second-year running back Tank Bigsby had his breakout game against the Colts, displaying a possible idea of him taking over as the bell-cow ball carrier on Jacksonville’s offense. Bigsby showed quick and choppy footwork that allowed him to work the base of the line of scrimmage and find creases outside the tackle box. 

Bigsby is a shifty runner with adequate contact balance and explosive second-level acceleration. What may come as a surprise is that he leads the NFL in yards after contact per attempt at 5.1, according to Next Gen stats. This is an example of the Jaguars having explosive elements on their offense but not being able to put them in places to succeed consistently within the unit. 

The former Auburn running back is still growing more than a quarter of the way through his second season. His ceiling remains high and big reason why he could find his way as the team’s RB1 by next year. 

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears

The Jacksonville Jaguars are across the pond on their two-week trip abroad, preparing to face Chicago and New England in London. This week, they will be the designated away team against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears. 

Jacksonville is coming off its first win of the season after an 0-4 start. Star signal-caller Trevor Lawrence turned in one of the best performances of his career in Sunday’s 37-34 win over Indianapolis, signaling a possible start of a steady stretch of games for the franchise quarterback.

However, the Bears will not be an easy matchup following a productive victory over the Carolina Panthers as Williams produced career-high numbers. 

Jaguars Wire takes a closer look at some of the key matchups for Sunday’s matchup against the 3-2 Bears.

Jacksonville’s rushing offense vs. Chicago’s run defense

A constant of the Jaguars’ offense in 2024 has been their run game, which has begun to alternate between their one-two punch of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. The latter exploded last Sunday with a 103-yard game, including a long touchdown run that added another explosive element to Jacksonville’s offense.

While the Bears have played sound defense overall, their Achilles heel to this point has been to defend the run. They currently rank 18th in rushing yards allowed and 15th in rushing allowed, and at times have been pushed around in the trenches, failing to maintain gap discipline and fit the run.

Jacksonville must lean more into the run game this week. Their offensive line has generated movement at the line of scrimmage consistently for two straight weeks, helping them to second in rushing yards per play. 

Bigsby’s role is expanding and the advanced statistics show this. He currently ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards over expected with +142 despite playing in just four games, according to Next Gen Stats. He could be an impact player this Sunday and a crucial piece to Jacksonville’s path to success. 

Jaguars’ passing offense vs. Bears’ secondary

One of the promising signs last week was the Jaguars’ notable progression and improvement in the passing game. They used frequent play-action to open up the run game.

The passing game thrived, too, as Lawrence completed 28-of-34 passes for over 370 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville’s offensive line thrived and gave Lawrence ample time in yet another consistent performance.

However, the front five will face a Chicago defense featuring five defenders with double-digit pressures. The Bears’ defensive front owns a quick pressure rate that ranks seventh in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Bears are a heavy-man defense, which could pose problems for the Jaguars. Last week against Carolina, Chicago limited Andy Dalton to just 136 yards passing with very few outlets to work with.

Jacksonville has struggled against heavy man coverage units this season but with the recent usage of Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr., that could change this week.

Thomas has shown to be an explosive and reliable vertical threat while Kirk has been a separator savant in the slot. The good news for the Jaguars is that versatile tight end Evan Engram returns to the field for the first time since Week 1, giving them another quality piece to counter the Bears’ secondary.

Chicago’s top cornerback, Tyrique Stevenson, is not expected to suit up Sunday in London. His absence could allow Jacksonville to exploit some matchups for another explosive day.

Jacksonville’s defensive line vs. Chicago’s offensive line

Ryan Nielsen’s defense has struggled as of late with some significant letdowns throughout the last few weeks. His unit is now ranked near the bottom of the league in most categories. However, a slew of injuries to key players have led to some inconsistencies with the unit overall.

The Jaguars have a talented defensive line that deploys a constant rotation. They did get pushed around by the Colts last week but face a more favorable matchup against the Bears’ average offensive line.

Jacksonville edge rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will be a handful. Next Gen Stats shows that after not having seven pressures in any game during his career, Walker has now had two consecutive games of over seven pressures, including three sacks in the Jaguars’ first win of the season. Hines-Allen has begun to emerge as well with back-to-back games of six-plus pressures.

Williams has not faired well against pressure and has put the ball in harm’s way often in an attempt to play hero ball. With Walker and Hines-Allen starting to heat up as of late, that could pose a problem for the rookie signal-caller.

While the Jaguars have succeeded lately on the offensive side of the trenches, the defensive side must step up again this weekend. If their pass rushers continue to have productive afternoons, the path to success against the Bears’ offense becomes much smoother. 

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

All-22 review: How the Jaguars can beat the Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter Week 5 as the only winless team in the NFL following their 24-20 defeat at Houston last Sunday. 

But not all hope is lost in Jacksonville as the Jaguars head into a potentially favorable matchup against Indianapolis.

Jacksonville has not played functional, sound football this year, although we saw the Jaguars’ offensive identity begin to emerge in their loss to the Texans.

This offense can balance the run with a dose of play-action and can take advantage of favorable explosive mismatches. If the Jaguars want to avoid sinking to 0-5 this weekend, their offensive game plan from last week gives them the best chance to win.

Sunday presents a Colts team without star running back Jonathan Taylor, likely without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson and with an underperforming defense that could lend the Jaguars their first win of the season.

Jaguars Wire reviewed the All-22 to present a few ways for Jacksonville to secure a victory against Indianapolis. 

Lean on Trevor Lawrence and the rushing attack

The focus of this film review begins with the $275 million man, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, whose play is under scrutiny after a rough start to the season. It seems he is pressing as a passer, staring down targets and playing flat-footed at times. His footwork has certainly become a concern.

Lawrence has also shown to bail from clean pockets and put even more stress on his offense. Despite offering the pre-snap acumen required to operate as an NFL quarterback, he has been inconsistent with his post-snap awareness this season.

Some have called the former No. 1 draft selection “broken,” and while that might be the case right now, his issues are fixable.

Surprisingly enough, it is Lawrence and Jacksonville’s run game that makes the Jaguars go. If he can get into a stretch within games where he can play in rhythm more consistently, this unit will look much improved.

Using play-action more frequently could help with this as the Colts’ defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 21-for-35 with 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception against such calls this year.

Entering Sunday, the Colts rank dead-last in the NFL in yards-per-game allowed, next-to-last in rushing yards and rushes of 10-plus yards allowed, and 25th in passing yards allowed. 

Indianapolis’ defense has underperformed relative to its expectations which has cost the Colts games to this point. Jaguars running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby could be in for plenty of touches and big play opportunities, accordingly. 

Jacksonville enters the weekend ranked No. 2 in football in rushing yards per play and No. 9 in team rushes of 10-plus yards. This is an advantageous matchup for the Jaguars’ run game to explode onto the scene.

Jaguars’ improved trench play vs. Colts’ underperforming defensive front

One of the bright spots from Sunday’s loss to Houston was the steady improvement of Jacksonville’s offensive line and the trenches overall. In general, the Jaguars’ front five displayed better consistency in pass protection while opening up rushing lanes for Etienne and Bigsby. 

Offensive tackles Anton Harrison and Cam Robinson were specifically better, especially in their pass sets moving rushers beyond the arc and giving Lawrence clean pockets. The offensive line also did a better job handling games such as twists and stunts, displaying better communication on this front. 

However, when the offense looked to run a play-action with a set-slide protection, the line did not wash defenders out as cleanly as it needed to, allowing pressure on Lawrence almost immediately.

Still, this was the offensive line’s best performance of the season and the unit must build on it, especially against a subpar Colts defense.

Defensively, coordinator Ryan Nielsen knows how to make offenses one-dimensional. That’s what Jacksonville will have to do against Indianapolis’ rushing attack.

With players like linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Darnell Savage Jr. expected to return from injury, the Jaguars should be able to limit the Colts’ big play opportunities on the ground.

The Jaguars’ consistent defensive line rotation has generated plenty of pressure from the four-man fronts deployed. Rookie interior lineman Maason Smith flashed at times against Houston, including an impressive swim move in the first quarter that got pressure on C.J. Stroud. He could present an intriguing rotational rush threat on passing downs against the Colts. 

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker were fantastic last Sunday with Walker producing a team-high seven pressures on 33 pass rushes and Hines-Allen recording six pressures on 19 rushes. Hines-Allen cleared concussion protocol on Saturday and is set to play.

Target Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. 

The Colts’ passing defense remains an underwhelming unit in 2024 and that should leave Kirk and Thomas licking their chops at the opportunity for a productive weekend. Indianapolis has allowed the fifth-most yards in downfield passing attempts at 13.3, per Next Gen Stats.

Kirk saw his targets increase from four and three in Weeks 1 and 2 respectively to 10 and 12 against Buffalo and Houston. Kirk is very good at setting up defenders with hesitation moves and fakes along with great short-area quickness.

Furthermore, Kirk is light on his feet and offers smooth acceleration in and out of breaks. He was open on almost every target last week. Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor must utilize him in motions and grant him free releases to create potential mismatches. 

Thomas is already the most talented playmaker on the roster four games into his career, as he flashed vertical separation and the necessary quickness to cut routes short and work back to the football.

Next Gen Stats shows Thomas is leading all rookies in deep directions and receiving yards this season while his average route depth is the third-deepest among first-year receivers. His 16.2 yards per catch rank No. 14 among all qualifying NFL pass-catchers. 

When Jacksonville attacks Indianapolis through the air Sunday, Trevor Lawrence needs to continue looking Kirk and Thomas’ way.

Pair of Aggies in the NFL record respective firsts during Week 4 amid losing efforts

Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk put on strong performances this weekend.

Three former members of the Texas A&M football team put on strong performances this past weekend in the NFL.

Tampa Bay superstar wide receiver Mike Evans put on a show in front of former teammate Tom Brady to become the all-time leading scorer in Buccaneers franchise history. Evans accomplished the feat during a 33-16 victory versus Philadelphia.

Meanwhile across the league, a pair of Aggies alumni recorded respective firsts on Sunday afternoon. Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tallied his first fumble recovery for Green Bay. Seventh-year wideout Christian Kirk hauled in his first touchdown catch of the season for Jacksonville.

Kirk racked up 7 receptions on 12 targets for 61 yards and a score during a 24-20 loss at Houston. He has totaled 17 catches for 169 yards and 1 TD through four games. The Jaguars (0-4) host the Colts for an AFC South matchup on Sunday at noon.

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Cooper has 13 tackles (8 solo), 0.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass defense thus far. The Packers (2-2) lost to the Vikings 31-29 at home in Week 4. Green Bay plays in Los Angeles against the Rams on Sunday at 3:25 p.m.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

ESPN insiders float five Jaguars in-season trade candidates

ESPN insiders float five Jaguars in-season trade candidates

The NFL trade deadline is over a month away, on Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET.

But considering Jacksonville’s 0-4 start to the 2024 season, at least two NFL insiders believe the Jaguars are already nearing a position to sell.

In a Wednesday ESPN roundtable column discussing the trade market among other topics, insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano floated five players they could envision Jacksonville shipping away in the coming weeks if the Jaguars can not turn their campaign around.

Prompted by Graziano calling Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk a potential option for the pass-catcher-needy Pittsburgh Steelers, Fowler expounded on the possibility Jacksonville could deal players approaching the end of their rookie contracts to collect resources for the offseason.

Fowler had four players in mind, three starters and one key backup.

“Another loss or two could leave the 0-4 Jaguars trading away players. This roster is not barren. I could see teams inquiring on rookie-scale talent, such as linebacker Devin Lloyd, safety Andre Cisco and running back Travis Etienne Jr. I’m not saying Jacksonville wants to move marquee players, but we’ve seen this script before when a team implodes. The Jaguars have three starting-caliber offensive tackles, with Walker Little as the odd man out. Teams always need offensive line help and will make calls accordingly.”

Given the sky-high expectations Jaguars owner Shad Khan set for the club before the season and how Jacksonville has yet to get off the ground, it is fair to wonder if he would green-light a fire sale by general manager Trent Baalke at this point.

As Fowler alluded to, however, such situations have played out with struggling NFL teams before.

Kirk, Etienne, Lloyd and Cisco each occupy starting positions for the Jaguars.

Kirk is in the third season of a four-year, $72 million contract he signed with the club in 2022 and is set to account for $24.4 million against Jacksonville’s salary cap next year after restructuring his deal in 2023.

After a slow start to his 2024 campaign with two catches for 29 yards between Weeks 1-2, Kirk has caught 15 passes for 140 yards in Jacksonville’s last two games. He has 158 receptions for 2,064 yards and 12 touchdowns over 33 starts with the Jaguars.

Etienne, a first-round NFL draft pick by Jacksonville alongside his college quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2021, is in his third season as the Jaguars’ starting running back after missing his rookie year with a Lisfranc injury. The fifth-year option on his rookie contract, for 2025, was picked up in April.

Etienne has logged 214 rushing yards and two touchdowns over 47 attempts this season, adding 10 receptions for 48 yards. He is up to 2,437 yards and 18 touchdowns over 534 rushes and 103 catches for 840 yards and one touchdown receiving.

Jacksonville’s second first-round pick in 2022, Lloyd has started in 33 of his 35 appearances with the Jaguars, recording 263 total tackles including three for loss, three interceptions, 17 defended passes and one forced fumble.

Lloyd posted 21 tackles, two pass breakups and the forced fumble between Weeks 1-3 this year, before missing Week 4 with a knee injury.

Cisco was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in Etienne’s draft class and emerged as a starting safety for the club in his second season, 2022.

After recording seven interceptions and 15 defended passes in 30 games over the last two seasons, Cisco is off to a slow start this season with only one pass breakup in four contests. He has logged 17 total tackles, though, increasing his career total to 178.

Of the quintet, Little arguably stands as the most reasonable trade candidate as he has yet to carve out a full-time starting role in four seasons with the Jaguars, despite his draft status.

The 2021 second-round pick has appeared in 44 games, though, making 17 starts and logging 1,145 offensive snaps in the roles of swing tackle and backup guard. He is in the final season of his rookie contract with Jacksonville.

Which veteran WR should the Steelers trade for?

Cast your vote for which wide receiver you’d like to see the Steelers add.

It took four games but the Pittsburgh Steelers offense found some traction last week against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the bulk of the scoring came thanks to the legs of quarterback Justin Fields.

With Fields continuing to get better each week, it feels like the addition of a reliable, veteran wide receiver is exactly what this team needs to improve consistency and efficiency in the passing game.

Free agency has little or nothing to offer at this point but with several teams getting off to slow starts, there could be a handful of veterans who might be on the market Pittsburgh should consider.

We have included the three guys who came to mind first for us. First and foremost is Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams. The Raiders are 2-2 but the worst team in their division and might want to part with Adams to get draft capital to land a quarterback next year.

We also see Tennessee Titans DeAndre Hopkins and Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Christian Kirk as potential trade targets. Both guys would be huge upgrades to Van Jefferson or Calvin Austin III and wouldn’t cost a ton in terms of draft picks. If the Steelers are serious about competing this season, any of these three makes the offense significantly better.

Cast your vote and let us know which veteran you would trade for or maybe you don’t think the Steelers need another wide receiver. We’ve got you covered too.

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