The Houston Texans made the rare trade within their own division this past offseason, acquiring wide receiver Christian Kirk from the Jacksonville Jaguars. An injury has sidelined Kirk for weeks, but there is an apparent light on the horizon for the Texans.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans met with the media on Tuesday, and he addressed a variety of topics, including the Texans’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football.”
Ryans also said he expects Kirk and fellow wideout Braxton Berrios to play in Week 3.
‘Slot Demon’ Christian Kirk Nearing Texans Debut
GettyChristian Kirk #13 of the Jacksonville Jaguars scores a touchdown against the Houston Texans.
According to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson, Ryans said on September 16 that Berrios and Kirk are “Progressing very well,” and that the Texans “expect to get those guys back this week.”
That is great news for a team that not only invested in those players, with draft capital in addition to cap dollars in Kirk’s case, but also one that finds itself reeling two weeks into the season as their offense is stuck in first gear.
Kirk, who turns 29 in November, had 379 yards and 1 touchdown on 27 receptions in 2024.
That was in eight games with the Jaguars, and Kirk has battled injuries since entering the league as a second-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2018 draft.
Kirk is on a four-year, $72 million contract, the third-highest total value on the Texans’ books this season. The question is not whether or not the “Slot Demon,” as some of his teammates have called him, can help the Texans, but rather how long Kirk will be available to C.J. Stroud and Co.
He has now missed multiple games in six of his eight NFL seasons.
Kirk has played full slates twice in his career, though, most recently in 2022 with the Jaguars when he, encouragingly for the Texans, logged an 84-1,108-8 line.
Braxton Berrios Could Boost Texans’ Return Game
GettyBraxton Berrios #17 of the Houston Texans carries the ball against Shemar Bartholomew #27 of the Carolina Panthers.
While Kirk and Berrios could help boost the Texans’ 28th-ranked offense, the latter could also be a boost to their return game, where they boast the third-highest yards per punt returns, but are 23rd on kickoffs entering Week 3.
Berrios turns 30 in October, and he was a First Team All-Pro in 2021 with the Miami Dolphins, tallying 852 yards and 1 TD on 28 kick returns and another 201 yards on 15 punt returns.
The Texans might get more use out of Berrios’ 134-1,323-6 line as a receiver.
Rookie third-rounder Jaylin Noel leads the league with 87 kick return yards entering the week, and could be difficult to remove from the primary role after the explosiveness he showed on “Monday Night Football” against the Buccaneers.
Berrios could ultimately end up as Noel’s running mate on kick returns and spelling him on punt returns (Noel has 78 yards on three returns), while also working behind Kirk at slot receiver.
Texans Add Super Bowl Champion Jalen Mills
GettyJalen Mills #35 of the New York Jets looks on after facing the Seattle Seahawks.
Along with Berrios and Kirk returning, the Texans also released wide receiver Silas Bolden and offensive lineman Jaylon Thomas from the practice squad, per the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander on September 16.
Per Wilson, they also signed safety Jalen Mills, the “Green Goblin,” and a member of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, adding him to the practice squad.
The Texans signed Mills in August but cut him at the deadline later in the month.
Up next for the Texans is a road date against Kirk’s former team, the Jaguars. And with him, Berrios, and Mills on hand, the Texans have some reinforcements as they seek their first victory three weeks into the season.
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