Christian Kirk on Calvin Ridley trade: The more weapons, the better

When the Jacksonville Jaguars dished out a $72 million contract to Christian Kirk in the offseason, it came with the expectation that he’d see a ton of balls thrown his way from Trevor Lawrence.

The team’s trade to acquire Calvin Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons means that in 2023 there will be one more mouth to feed in the Jaguars offense. That’s a good thing, says Kirk.

“You keep adding on because it’s [about] depth and versatility in this league,” Kirk told reporters Wednesday, via 1010XL. “The more weapons you have, the more people you can look to, the better your team can be. You look at the best teams in the NFL, they’ve got guys at every position. I know that’s what we’re building here.”

In his last full season with Atlanta, Ridley caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards with nine touchdowns. He’s been out of action since stepping away in October 2021, and he’s currently serving a suspension for the entire 2022 season. However, Ridley has the potential to step into the role of No. 1 receiver for the Jaguars in 2023.

While Kirk’s lofty contract suggests he’s the one who should be in that role, he’ll largely be playing out of the slot, regardless. That means there won’t be jockeying for top billing on the depth chart, although it could mean a battle for targets next season.

Through eight games with the Jaguars, Kirk has 35 receptions for 498 yards with four touchdowns. The team hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since D.J. Chark in 2019.