Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Texans’ Christian Kirk Exit Looks All But Certain

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Mar 5, 2026 6:27 PM ET

It looks as if Christian Kirk has played his last snap in a Houston Texans uniform.

Kirk, the Texans' veteran slot wide receiver from last season, heads into this offseason becoming an unrestricted free agent after being acquired in 2024 via trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for a seventh-round pick.

And has he now hits the open market, the expectation is that he and the Texans will be parting ways after one season, per a recent report from KPRC2's Aaron Wilson.

"Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk, just didn't reall work out with that trade... He is a free agent that is not expected to return," Wilson said.

Christian Kirk Not Expected Back in Houston

It's a move that makes a bit too much sense for both sides following an up-and-down season in Houston for Kirk, who will now seemingly get a chance to join the fourth team of his NFL career this offseason.

Kirk faced inconsistencies and injury throughout his 2025 campaign with the Texans after his trade to come aboard last offseason. He played in 13 games throughout the regular season to log 28 receptions for 239 yards and one touchdown, his lowest receiving totals since entering the NFL back in 2018.

Kirk did have his memorable outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Houston's Wild Card victory this past postseason with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown that does provide at least one quality highlight throughout his Texans tenure, but that just won't be enough to sway him back into the mix for another season.

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Instead, the Texans have a bundle of budding wide receivers around the roster that will be able to fill his place within their pass-catching corps, especially within the slot position that Kirk primarily lined up in.

Houston will not only have third-rounder from last year's draft Jaylin Noel in his second season as a pro, but also have Tank Dell officially returning from his season-ending leg injury to fill that space in as well.

Combine that with a second year jump from Jayden Higgins after a productive rookie season, Xavier Hutchinson likely coming back into the fold as a pair of steady hands, Dalton Schultz back at the tight end position, and of course, the star gravity brought to the table from Nico Collins, the Texans head into 2026 with an already-well established group of weapons at the disposal of C.J. Stroud.

Therefore, it allows a route for a veteran like Kirk to exit and join another roster who could be in need of wide receiver help, who proved he was still capable of being a value add based on his playoff flashes.

This year's NFL free agency window will officially open at the start of next week, when more of the Texans' offseason decisions and plan of attack to get this roster prepared for next season will begin to get ever clearer.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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