Christian Kirk's playoff heroics could earn him a new deal, but the Texans face a crucial choice with a rising star returning.
The Houston Texans have a few contractual situations to figure out during the 2026 offseason. A few regard some extensions for younger guys, but the franchise will also have to decide whether to bring back a handful of pending free agents in 2026. One player scheduled to hit free agency is wide receiver Christian Kirk.
Kirk initially signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played the first three years of that deal in Jacksonville, but he was eventually traded to the Texans during the 2025 offseason. Houston sent Jacksonville back a seventh-round pick, and the trade proved to be fairly fruitful for the Texans.
The veteran wide receiver played in 13 games for the Texans during the 2025 season, starting three. He caught 28 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown during the regular season with Houston, but his presence was felt during the playoffs. He caught 10 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in Houston's two games during the postseason, and he was a big reason Houston was able to beat Pittsburgh as he had nearly 150 receiving yards and a score.
According to Spotrac, Kirk's current market value is roughly $5.4 million. He is projected to sign a one-year deal in that range, but it should probably come from elsewhere. The Texans are expected to welcome back Tank Dell in 2026, so there is no reason for Kirk to return. Dell has had a ton of injury woes so far in his career, so Kirk would be a good depth piece. However, a depth piece that is getting paid over $5 million is hard to justify.
Dell was injured near the end of the 2024 season after suffering a gruesome knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs. The injury kept him out of the entire 2025 season, but he should be able to return by training camp ahead of the 2026 season. He has been one of C.J. Stroud's favorite targets ever since the two came into the league together during the 2023 season. Houston should feel comfortable allowing Kirk to walk in free agency, especially with Dell returning and young players like Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins expected to develop after their rookie seasons.
There are plenty of teams around the league that could use some veteran wide receiver help, and they would probably be willing to pay more than the market value to acquire Kirk, especially if the demand is high. Houston would be better off letting him go and test the market.