Baalke and Pederson Detail Why the Jaguars Signed Christian Kirk

Why did the Jaguars sign Christian Kirk? Head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke explained on Wednesday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars made seven major additions this past week; with the start of free agency, the Jaguars spent more than any other franchise as they threw money to starters on both sides of the ball. 

But why did the Jaguars make these specific additions? What stood out to them about each player added? Thanks to comments from general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday, we can answer those questions. 

First up: wide receiver Christian Kirk, who the Jaguars signed to a four-year, $72 million deal with $37 million guaranteed. 

With DJ Chark hitting free agency and the Jaguars losing their vertical threat, they opted to reach out west and bring in a vertical slot receiver who has proven he can create big plays.

Drafted in the second-round (No. 47 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, Kirk caught 236 passes for 2,902 yards and 17 touchdowns in four seasons in Arizona. This included a career year in 2021 when Kirk was moved to a full-time slot role, with Kirk recording 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns.

"Yeah. Well, I think he's more than a chain mover. You know, I think he's proven he can make big plays on Sunday. And that's important," Baalke said about Kirk, who will be more than just a slot receiver in Jacksonville. 

After spending 79% of his snaps in the slot last season, Kirk is set to be in a vastly different offense in Jacksonville. Gone is Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense that more often than not leaves its receivers in singular roles, and in is Pederson's scheme that will ask Kirk to play a multitude of roles.

And to Pederson, this versatility was key. Kirk said on Thursday that he hangs his hat on his versatility and ability to play multiple roles, and Pederson said on Wednesday that he would do exactly this in Jacksonville.

"Well, no, it's not too early. But one of the things you got to realize, in the system that, I'll bring and that Press [Taylor] [will bring], that we're used to, these guys move around a lot," Pederson said. 

"And we use them based on gameplan, where they can be most advantageous against an opponent. So he's gonna line up in the slot, he's gonna line up outside, he may line up next to a tackle. You know, I mean, there's just ways that we're going to use all of our receivers, not just Christian, but he does bring a skill set that, you know, is very impressive and he's still young and looking forward to that.

But what about the contract the Jaguars paid Kirk? That has been the major sticking point in most national conversations about the signing, with many expressing shock at the former Cardinals receiver getting No. 1 receiver money in free agency.

To Baalke, though, the contract is a moot point. He and the Jaguars made their evaluations on Kirk and are standing by them, with the idea that if they are correct, then he will be more than worth the major deal he inked.

"Well, first of all, it's supply and demand, right? That plays a factor in free agency for sure. And if he comes in, and he plays to the level that the contract is and he meets the incentives, which I hope he does, and if he does nobody here, nobody in the stands, nobody in the national media is going to care about what he was paid, because he's earned every penny of it," Baalke said. 

"And that's the ... the only time it's going to matter if he doesn't play well, and we're not worried about that."