Christian Kirk: Everything you need to know

Kirk is slated to sign a one-year, $6 million contract with San Francisco, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports. Kirk, who is heading into his age-30 season, will join a 49ers wide receiver corps that also houses free-agent signee Mike Evans, plus incumbents Ricky Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson, where he presumably pencils in for the No. 3 role. Across 13 regular-season appearances with the Texans in 2025, Kirk was limited to just a 28-239-1 line on 52 targets, but he flashed down the stretch, combining for 10 catches for 164 yards and two scores (15 targets) during the team's two postseason games. Although he faces crowded competition for targets, with RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle (Achilles) also present, Kirk could prove productive while paired with QB Brock Purdy in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, if a path to consistent opportunities materializes.

Kirk caught two of six targets for 20 yards and a touchdown in the Texans' 28-16 loss to the Patriots in the divisional round Sunday. The veteran wideout couldn't repeat his massive performance from a wild-card win over the Steelers, but Kirk did hit paydirt for a second straight playoff game, hauling in a 10-yard toss from C.J. Stroud in the second quarter. Those two playoff TDs are more than he managed in the entire regular season, when he posted a disappointing 28-239-1 line on 52 targets over 13 games. Kirk will be a free agent in the offseason, and he'll likely be playing for his third team in three seasons in 2026.

Kirk is poised for a bigger role in the Texans' passing game Sunday at New England after No. 1 WR Nico Collins (concussion) was ruled out for the divisional-round contest. Kirk was well on his way to a notable performance when Collins exited Monday's wild-card win in Pittsburgh due to a concussion in the third quarter. Having said that, Kirk was QB C.J. Stroud's favorite target for much of the game, with the wide receiver finishing with eight catches (on nine targets) for 144 yards and one touchdown on a 56 percent snap share. The playing time more or less was in line with his range from the regular season, but Kirk now will be vying with only Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel and potentially Braxton Berrios for the attention of Stroud this weekend.