ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are sitting pretty on their bye week after an upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now fans in the desert will have an opportunity to kick their feet up and enjoy watching some familiar faces around the league.
Christian Kirk won’t be one of those players. The Jacksonville Jaguars placed Kirk on injured reserve this morning with a core injury, ensuring he will miss at least the next four weeks. Kirk could be eligible to return in Week 18.
It’s a blow for a Jacksonville squad looking to keep themselves in the playoff hunt. At 8-4, they currently lead the AFC South but the team could also be without Trevor Lawrence too after he injured his ankle on Monday Night Football.
Kirk himself was also injured on Monday night. He received core muscle surgery and could miss up to eight weeks on an extended timeline. Kirk had 787 receiving yards with three touchdowns on the season.
In the 2022 offseason, Kirk received a four-year, $72 million deal from Jacksonville after spending the first portion of his career in Arizona. The Cardinals made Kirk a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Many believe current Cardinals WR Marquise Brown – slated to enter free agency after this season – will use Kirk’s deal with Jacksonville as a baseline for his new contract.
Source: All Cardinals
