Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) catches a pass during an organized team activity Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Analyst pegs Jaguars' receiver Christian Kirk as 'primary slot' for Commanders

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Mar 5, 2025 1:00 PM ET

To describe the Washington Commanders' receiver room right now you would probably lean heavily on quality over quantity.

Terry McLaurin is the clear No. 1 option in the room and Deebo Samuel will be a nice addition when he arrives to the Commanders at the start of the new league year.

Beyond those two, Luke McCaffrey will enter his second season with plenty of potential but little proven and the group of Washington receivers from 2024 with expiring contracts far exceeds the ones who have a real shot of being on the active roster in 2025 currently.

The biggest need for the team to address this offseason in that group, according to one analyst, is clear.

"General manager Adam Peters took the first big swing of the offseason, importing Deebo Samuel in a trade with the 49ers. The fifth-round price underscores the cost of taking on a big contract (he's due $21.7 million in 2025) and Samuel coming off a down year. Even if age is catching up, Samuel's skill set should be a nice mesh in Kliff Kingsbury's offense," NFL.com's Kevin Patra writes about the Commanders' receiver group. "The veteran pairs nicely with McLaurin, a do-it-all star who can win on the intermediate level and deep. With a host of other free agents, Washington isn't done rebuilding this crew. Adding a primary slot is the next step. If Christian Kirk is cut loose from Jacksonville, a reunion with Kingsbury almost makes too much sense for all parties."

Kirk is a player that has been talked about before when it comes to what Washington might do this offseason, and the connection between him and Kingsbury makes it make a lot of sense.

The team could also go to the draft again looking to bolster the room, or opt for another outside weapon to pair with McLaurin who could operate out of the slot when needed. Someone like Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin, should he reach free agency.

Whatever the decision, most agree that while the group they have is solid, the Commanders are far from done addressing the receiver group, including the potential for one or more of their own free agents to return in 2025.