Head coach DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans need to get more out of C.J. Stroud, who earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie, but his production dipped in 2024 amid turmoil around him. This offseason, the Texans acquired wide receiver Christian Kirk to help make Stroud’s life easier.
Originally the No. 47 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, Kirk spent the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin believes Kirk could prove to be Stroud’s “secret best friend.”
“Why not Kirk?” Benjamin wrote on August 19. “He profiles as a potential secret weapon thanks to his injury-induced fizzle out in Jacksonville. But his resume suggests he really can be a trusty possession target if operating at full strength. Three years removed from a 1,100-yard campaign as a Trevor Lawrence favorite, Kirk is still just 28, plenty capable of sneaking onto the scene as Houston’s new high-volume option.”
Kirk’s injury history is significant. The 28-year-old has played a full complement of regular-season games twice in his career: in 2021 and 2022. He played in eight games, starting seven, for the Jaguars in 2024 and a 12-game run in 2023.
Naturally, Kirk’s production has dropped along with his availability.
That is an ominous trend for the Texans, who have Kirk to make up for the loss of injured 2023 third-round pick Tank Dell.
Texans Need Christian Kirk to Buck Trend
GettyChristian Kirk #13 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts after a reception against the Green Bay Packers.
Dell is recovering from a devastating knee injury and is a long shot to play in 2024. Kirk has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $72 million contract. Notably, his cap hit rises from $4.8 million in 2025 to $11.4 million in 2026.
The Texans can cut Kirk in 2026, saving $8.5 million while incurring $2.8 million in dead money charges with a post-June 1 designation.
Still, Kirk cannot make the kind of impact he wants or is expected to if he is unavailable.
The Texans are not banking solely on Kirk to make up for the loss of Dell. They doubled down on receivers in the 2025 draft, selecting Iowa State teammates Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both of whom have shown well since their arrival.
The Texans will be that much deeper when Dell returns. Until then, the Texans can lean on Kirk and others for complementary production.
Nico Collins ‘Way Too Obvious’ Key for C.J. Stroud, Texans
GettyNico Collins #12 of the Houston Texans looks on before facing the Carolina Panthers.
Kirk is a proven producer, but Benjamin still expects the Texans’ passing game will continue to flow through Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins after Stroud. A third-round pick in 2021, Collins is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 1,00p receiving yards.
“It’d be way too obvious to go with Nico Collins here,” Benjamin wrote. “The veteran wideout is arguably one of the best field-stretching big men in the game when healthy.”
Collins turned 26 in March.
He is in Year 2 of a four-year, $72.7 million contract and is pacing toward another significant payday and a likely raise. Collins and Stroud will carry the Texans’ passing attack, with Higgins, Kirk, and Noel all playing significant complementary roles.
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