On the first day teams can reach agreements with new players, the Jaguars decided to throw a pile a money at everyone - and then they threw another, separate pile at wide receiver Christian Kirk. That last decision may end up costing Baalke’s old employer.
According to reports, the Jags are giving Christian Kirk a four year deal worth at least $74 million, and a maximum of $82 million. Conservatively, that’s $18.5 million a year for a receiver who has never made an all-pro team. Never made a Pro Bowl team. Never cracked 1,000 yards receiving in any single season, and only scored 17 touchdowns in his entire four year career.
This has to happen now, just as the 49ers are said to be working on a deal for Deebo Samuel? Deebo Samuel, who is coming off his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl season. Who gained over 1,400 yards receiving in a run-first offense with an average quarterback and scored 14 combined touchdowns last year alone. Not to mention his 365 rushing yards in 2021.
Samuel’s agents at CAA had to be popping champagne when they saw those numbers, and you can be damn certain they’ll make sure the 49ers’ brain trust sees them, too. That’s one reason John Lynch’s comments about Samuel’s contract already being “budgeted for” weren’t a great idea - especially not before a round of free agency. That’s another thing Deebo’s representation will remind Lynch of during the negotiations. Devante Adams hasn’t even signed his long term deal yet, which means the market is going to go up even more.
On a day that already saw the 49ers lose both Laken Tomlinson and DJ Jones, a move by a former 49ers GM is also going to prove very costly at the negotiating table. Suddenly that franchise tag option we laid out a couple of weeks ago isn’t looking so crazy, is it?
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