Were the Jaguars Winners or Losers at the Trade Deadline?

A completed deal and a reportedly near-completed deal were huge for the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, the failed trade may be the bigger story.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) leaves the field to the locker room after sustaining an apparent injury during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Packers edged the Jaguars 30-27 on a last-second field goal. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-7 and facing a likely rebuild after the season. However, the process started when they traded offensive lineman Cam Robinson a few weeks ago. The Jaguars have all but accepted this season's fate.

Trading Robinson, one of the team's best players, was a sign of what the Jaguars' front office thinks about the team's current situation and future. However, it was the right move considering his contract situation.

The Jaguars were also reportedly in talks to trade wide receiver Christian Kirk before the trade deadline. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, he broke his collarbone in the team's most recent game, ruling out a potential trade for him.

Jeff Diamond of The 33rd Team recently released his list of the league's biggest winners and losers at the trade deadline. Not all teams made the list, but the Jaguars did. Unfortunately, they did not make it for good reasons.

"The Jaguars signed Kirk to a four-year, $72 million contract in 2022. At the time, I considered it an overpay for a player who didn't have a thousand-yard season in his first four years in Arizona," Diamond said.

"Kirk had an excellent first season in Jacksonville with 84 catches, 1,108 yards, and eight touchdowns. His numbers fell off last season as he missed five games with an abdominal injury. Kirk's production wasn't great this season, recording 27 catches for 379 yards and one touchdown before breaking his collarbone in Week 8 against the Packers."

Diamond noted that the Jaguars had multiple teams willing to trade for Kirk. The coaching staff and the organization made a mistake by continuing to play a potential trade asset. They will now pay the price figuratively and literally.

"The Jaguars had several suitors as they prepared to trade Kirk and his $16.5 million 2025 salary," Diamond said. "They could have gotten a decent return for the 27-year-old, and I know it's hard for a team to sit a player down when they enter the Green Bay game at 2-5."

"In hindsight, the Jaguars regret not putting him in mothballs for a couple of games while the trade talks were going on," Diamond said. "Now, they'll enter the 2025 league year with a $27.3 million cap hit on Kirk, or they can release him and take a $13.5 million dead money hit."

"His trade value has dipped with two straight years of significant injuries," Diamond said.

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