JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Boxcutter Bill from Mass

We wanted to get rid of Kirk so bad that we gave him to a division rival for a seventh-round pick?

The Jaguars on Thursday reportedly agreed to trade wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Why does it make sense? Because the Jaguars – as reported Wednesday – planned to release Kirk before the start of the 2025 NFL League Year and getting a seventh-round selection for a player is better than getting nothing for a player. Why to Houston? Because the Texans were offering a seventh-round selection and apparently liked Kirk enough to pursue him heavily had he been released.

Kevin from Jacksonville

First Kirk? Now Engram? Say it ain't so.

It's so. The Jaguars in addition to trading Kirk on Thursday also reportedly informed tight end Evan Engram that he will be released before Wednesday's start of the league year. The move made sense for the same reasons the Jaguars planned to release Kirk – that it's a substantial salary cap savings and health/durability was an issue last season. This is how regime change looks. This is moving forward.

JT from Palm Coast, FL

Happy for Mitch Morse, but sad for our line. Luke Fortner isn't a starter. Now we desperately need to get that position right. Do we draft a center or sign one in free agency?

Mitch Morse, who started 17 regular-season games for the Jaguars last season, announced his retirement from the NFL Wednesday after 10 NFL seasons – four with the Kansas City Chiefs, five with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Jaguars. I'm happy for Morse, too. He was a true NFL professional, responsible with the media and played solidly at center for the team last season – particularly considering he was deep into his professional career during his lone season with the team. I don't know that Morse's retirement is as sad for the line as much as it's an opportunity. While he played fine in 2024, the Jaguars clearly need to revamp the interior of the line. One position they will be revamping is right guard, where Brandon Scherff is an unrestricted free agent. But it will be difficult to make changes at left tackle, left guard and right tackle because Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland and Anton Harrison are under contract and likely starters. Morse's retirement means the Jaguars can address center and therefore address at least 40 percent of the line. Whether that will happen in the draft or free agency remains to be seen. I suspect they will explore and perhaps sign one or both positions in free agency. If more needs to be done in the draft, or if the right players are available in the draft, I expect they will address it in the draft. Remember: You don't go into the offseason saying, "We're going to sign or draft any guard or center." You go into it trying to find the right player at the right position however you acquire the player.

Nick from Virginia Beach, VA

Kirk, Morse and Engram. The offense took a step back Thursday.

If the players in that trio were in their prime and likely to be fully healthy moving forward, I expect Thursday may have felt much different. If they were in their prime and likely to be fully healthy, I might consider that the offensive took a step back. The NFL is a business and it's often a young, healthy man's business. Here's wishing all three the best. I like them all very much. Thursday was a busy, sad day – the sort of day that happens when teams change regimes and direction.

Paul from Lake City, FL

I'm sure there will be some angst over trading Kirk and releasing Engram, but it sure suggests (along with the other moves to create cap room) that General Manager James Gladstone has ideas heading into free agency and wants to have the freedom to pursue those ideas aggressively when the situation warrants. Interesting times ahead!

If you're going to change course, you have to change course.

JaxJohn from Aurora, CO

I am having trouble understanding all the cuts. If this is a plan to free up cap space then doesn't this imply they are going to dive into free agency?

I sometimes forget that not everyone reads the O-Zone every day and not everyone digs deep on all things people close to the team say. Parting ways with Engram and Kirk was not unexpected. It was discussed often and in detail here in recent weeks and days. The moves were possible no matter who was making the decisions. Their cap situations made that true. So did their injury situations last season. That's not to say they can't have success in the future. It is to say their situations made them prime candidates for change during a time of change. As for the upcoming free agency period … yes, the Jaguars will be active. The hope here is that it's measured activity and that they move away from that approach over the coming seasons.

Mason from Palm Bay

I can almost guarantee I am not the only one writing in about this Kirk trade. Horrible optics for the new GM, and the impact Kirk will have on the Texans will certainly outweigh the impact a seventh-round pick has for us. Just when the Jags started to win us fans back, they pull a head-scratcher like this. Jags gonna Jag, I guess.

The optics are only bad if people don't realize the Jaguars were going to release Kirk. The Jaguars will win fans back when they win games.

Homer from Springfield

I'm assuming the new guy doesn't know that the Texans are division rivals? D'oh!

He knows. It's right there on the interweb.

Clyde from Jacksonville

I like Kirk as a person, but he never made a huge difference here. Had he caught the pass against Kansas City in that playoff game, his legacy here in Jacksonville could've been much different. Best wishes to Mr. Kirk.

I think we were watching different Jaguars games in 2022 and the first part of 2023.

DuvalJag95 from Anywhere but Jax

ROFLMFAO Thought we were a dumpster fire last year but I truly believe this will be the worst year in Jags history.

I can't control what you believe, I suppose. I would be really surprised if this is the worst season in Jaguars history. That's a high – or low – bar. This doesn't feel like that.

Kei from Kitakyushu, Japan

To your response about Jacksonville being home: the thing that's always struck me about former Jags players and employees is just how many of them eventually settle in and around Jacksonville once they retire from the game. No matter how long their spells were in Jax, no matter how many other NFL teams they end up playing for, it's a lot of them that make their permanent homes in Jacksonville. As much as the city gets lampooned at the national level (mostly by people who have never stepped foot there), it clearly has a lot of the things going for it that so-called "better" NFL markets don't; otherwise, there would be more former Bills living in Buffalo, former Browns living in NE Ohio, and so on.

People who lampoon Jacksonville are very often people very unfamiliar with Jacksonville.

John from Jacksonville

Now that Christian Kirk has been traded to the Texans do the Jaguars suffer any cap consequences?

The salary cap hit for the Jaguars trading Kirk is essentially the same as it would have been had they released him. They will save about $10 million compared to what the cap hit would have been had he stayed.

Bradford from Orange Park, FL

Might be a little late chiming in on the topic, but if not unreasonably so - I just wanted to say "big ups, big blessings to big DAWG, Christian Kirk". Classy player and a weapon on the field. He'll be rooted for the same as he was here, wherever he ends up and beyond. And that is not necessarily a distinction all departing Jaguars players enjoy. I know it's "Not.For.Long.". But, I still sure can get attached to the REAL ones.

It's never too late to express thanks to a classy player such as Kirk. One fer Kirk? Absolutely.

Gunga Dan from Sand Dune

Hi O, Gabe Davis seems mediocre at best with a potential "you don't throw to me enough" attitude? I understand that this is a business, but why couldn't we lose Gabe Davis instead of Kirk?

Because releasing/trading Kirk saves $10 million on the salary cap for 2025. Releasing Davis adds about $15 million to the salary cap for 2025.

Anita from Springfield

OZone, this one hurts. I freaking LOVED what Cap'n Kirk brought to the team, and to now have to watch him bring that to our clearest competition for the AFC South, and having to face him twice a year, will be a big bummer.

They say that breaking up is hard to do. Now we know that it's true.