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While the Houston Texans raised some eyebrows by picking up not one, but two of the Buffalo Bills‘ former 2023 draft picks from the waiver wire, Nick Broeker and Alex Austin, that wasn’t the only swamp between the franchises on Wednesday, August 30.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to break the news that former Texans linebacker Christian Kirksey was signing with the Bills. Rapoport posted, “Former #Texans captain and starting LB Christian Kirksey, a surprise cut on Tuesday, is planning to sign with the #Bills practice squad now that he has landed there, source said. He prioritized winning.”
Kirksey, who signed a two-year, $10 million extension with the team last year, “entered training camp as a lock to make the Texans’ 53-man roster,” SI’s Coty M. Davis wrote. “But a few days into camp, the veteran linebacker sustained an injured hamstring. The injury forced Kirksey to miss nearly a month, which included all three preseason games.”
However, KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson posted on August 28 that the 30-year-old “has recovered from a strained hamstring.” The former Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate “is a classy veteran active in community and will be missed in #Texans locker room.”
Rapoport noting that Kirksey “prioritized winning” is a nice way of saying he chose to join a true contender over taking a bigger paycheck. The Cleveland Browns former third-round pick from the 2014 NFL Draft is also taking a huge pay cut by signing with the Bills’ practice squad.
Fox Sports Greg Auman posted that veterans with more than two accrued years in the NFL can make between $16,100 and $20,600 per week, as much as $370,800/year,” which is a far cry from the $5 million salary Kirksey was due for the 2023 NFL season.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that Kirksey agreed to sign with practice squad, but that he still needs to pass his physical. Beane also mentioned that Kirksey and Bills’ senior defensive assistant Al Holcomb worked together at Cleveland, so it won’t take him “a crazy long time” to get up to speed.
The Bills Considered Signing Christian Kirksey in 2020
The Bills have had their eye on Kirksey for a while. SB Nation‘s Rachel Auberger pointed out that Buffalo hosted Kirksey for a workout in March 2020, however, the linebacker went on to sign a two-year, $16 million contract with the Green Bay Packers.
“The Bills were interested enough in 2020 while they still had both (Matt) Milano and (Tremaine) Edmunds to take a look. Now with Edmunds gone (and with no clear cut replacement) and with recent injuries to both Terrell Bernard (who did return to practice late last week) and Baylon Spector — both of whom were listed as possible candidates for the team’s MIKE position — it might be time for Buffalo to take another look at Kirksey,” Auberger predicted on August 28.
13WHAM’s Dan Fetes wrote in March 2020, “If there’s anything we know about Sean McDermott it’s that he loves ‘high character’ guys and versatile players. Kirksey checks both of those boxes.But there are serious health concerns. Kirksey hasn’t played 16 games in a season since 2017. He played just seven games in 2018 because of a hamstring issue and only two games in 2019 because of a chest injury.”
The Packers released Kirksey after one season, during which he recorded 77 total tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and four passes defensed in 11 games. Over the past two seasons with the Texans, Kirksey started 29 of 30 games, tallying 217 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, and 13 passes defensed.
Buffalo was Called the ‘Perfect’ Landing Spot for Christian Kirksey
The Bills have six linebackers on the active roster following final cuts: Milano, Spector, Bernard, Tyrel Dodson, Dorian Williams, and Tyler Matakevich.
With Bernard starting the season on IR, and the health of both Bernard (hamstring) and Williams (calf) questionable, it seemed likely the Bills would try to bring back A.J. Klein to the practice squad, but that’s yet to happen.
While Bills head coach Sean McDermott has faced major backlash for not finding an effective replacement at middle linebacker following Edmunds’ exit, as Dodson has yet to prove he’s the man for the job, landing Kirksey was applauded by analysts across the league. PFF’s Brad Spielberger called Buffalo the “perfect landing spot for Kirksey.”
WGR 550’s Nate Geary posted, “A super obvious move for the Bills. Gives him an opportunity to get up to speed, while not costing the Bills a roster spot. Can elevate him when/if you need. Great situation,” while Talking Buffalo host Patrick Moran wrote, “Like it. He won’t be on the practice squad for long either.”
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