What Does Attempted Trade Mean For Jaguars Star's Future?

With the Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly close to trading Christian Kirk before his injury, what is his new future with the team?

Aug 20, 2022; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) makes a catch during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

What is next for one of the Jacksonville Jaguars' top players after a potential trade?

According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers were in discussions to make a deal for veteran slot receiver Christian Kirk.

Kirk, of course, injured his collarbone in the loss and sustained a season-ending injury, negating any chance he would be traded out of Jacksonville this season. But now that the Jaguars' intentions with Kirk have been made public, it is fair to wonder what the plan is for Kirk moving forward.

If the Jaguars were willing to trade Kirk at the trade deadline despite still mathematically being in the race at 2-6, then that tells us a lot of what we need to know about their vision for Kirk moving forward.

Kirk's future in Jacksonville may or may not be decided by the same brass that was considering trading him to an AFC rival. If general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson survive, one could reason they would want to part ways with Kirk and allow more playing time for 2023 sixth-rounder Parker Washington.

If the Jaguars have a new group of decision-makers at the top of the franchise in 2025, Kirk's future could be unpredictable. They could cut ties as they look to remake the roster in their own image, or they could keep Kirk on the final year of his deal considering his leadership and locker room value.

"Just one great player and huge impact for our offense and our team. But also, there’s just not someone that works harder and it sucks to see him the last two years have a season-ending deal. Just sucks," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said.

"You see how hard he works, and obviously I know him really well and know how much he puts into it, how much it means to him. So that's definitely disappointing whenever that happens to guys on your team. So just praying for him, speedy recovery. I know he's going to be back better than he was before and it's just the beginning for him. So, I know he's in good spirits but obviously frustrated. How could you not be? It's hard when it gets taken from you like that and you're out for the year.”

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