Should the Jaguars Pursue Recently Released Linebacker Christian Kirksey?

The veteran linebacker has had issues staying on the field, but could be a cheap option for a linebacker-needy team in March.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were active on the free agent linebacker market in 2019, signing veterans such as Jake Ryan, Najee Goode, Ramik Wilson, and D.J. Alexander before training camp begun. One year later, the need for linebacker depth is just as paramount now as it was then.

The Jaguars have already declined Ryan's team option for next season, while Goode, Wilson, and Alexander are all unrestricted free agents after playing out their one-year contracts, so the addition veteran experience at the position is still needed. If the Jaguars want to repeat their trend of adding cheaper veteran options at the linebacker position in 2020, there will be a number of options available. 

One of the available options that could intrigue the Jaguars could be veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey, who earlier on Tuesday was released by the Cleveland Browns after playing six seasons for the team. 

We’ve released veteran LB Christian Kirksey

Details » https://t.co/4SO0WP55XD pic.twitter.com/eUzy4yWN6B

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 10, 2020

"Christian Kirksey has been a vital member of our organization for the last six seasons because of his contributions on and off the field," said Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. "He has been a strong leader both in our locker room and in the Cleveland community. These are difficult decisions and, in Christian's case, more challenging because of how well he has represented our team. We thank him for his dedication and wish him nothing but the best in the next phase of his career."

With Kirksey now free to sign with any team ahead of the start of free agency on Mar. 18, should the Jaguars be interested in adding the veteran to their linebacker room? We look at the pros and cons of the potential move to determine an answer.

Why the Jaguars should pursue Christian Kirksey

As Berry's statement on Kirksey above indicates, the 27-year old linebacker is a well-respected player in every sense of the word. The Jaguars need a veteran prescence who can provide insight, leadership, and experience at the linebacker spot in the short-term, and Kirksey checks all of those boxes. 

Kirksey, a third-round pick by the Browns in 2014, also has experience at both middle and outside linebacker and he has played in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defensive scheme. The Jaguars could realistically look to add to both middle and weakside linebacker spots, so Kirksey is a realistic from a needs and scheme standpoint. From 2014-2017, Kirksey appeared in 64 games, starting 45, giving him plenty of experience as a starting linebacker. 

During that span of time, Kirksey was an impressive off-ball linebacker thanks to his instincts and quickness. In that four-year period, Kirksey collected 269 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 11 pass deflections, giving him solid production despite playing on some bad Browns teams. 

After leading the Browns with 148 combined tackles in his first full season as a starter, Kirksey was signed to a four-year extension. The early flashes during his career more than warranted a deal, as did his athletic potential. As long as Kirksey can remain healthy, there is reason to believe he can return to his past form.

Due to Kirksey's issues staying on the field the last two seasons, there is a good chance the Jaguars could acquire him on a cheaper, short-term deal. With the Jaguars likely unable to spend much money in free agency due to the likely franchise tagging of defensive end Yannick Ngakoue set to cost $19.3 million, Kirksey is just the kind of player the Jaguars could look to add to their team without breaking the bank.

Why the Jaguars should avoid signing Christian Kirksey

The obvious issue with pursuing Kirksey is the fact that he has missed so much time due to injuries since the 2017 season ended. Jacksonville had numerous injuries at the linebacker position in 2019 and had four players at the position end the year on injured reserve. With this mind, it could be reasonable for the Jaguars to prefer a player with a more durable recent history. 

In 2018, Kirksey played in only seven games due to a hamstring injury ending his season prematurely and landing him on injured reserve. He recorded only 43 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and his first career interception in that injury-shortened season, but still entered 2019 as a presumptive starter.

2019 unfortunately played out the same way for Kirksey. He started the first two games of the season, collecting 11 tackles in the process, but was placed on injured reserve with a chest injury. The injuries, plus the cap hit from his extended contract, made him a candidate to be cut by the Browns from the start of the offseason. 

While it may be unfair to Kirksey, a red flag could be the fact that the Browns were willing to part with Kirksey despite their need for linebackers and the impending free agency of Joe Schobert. Kirksey's contract obviously played a part in this, but it worth noting regardless.

Overall

Kirksey has had his flashes of solid linebacker play at the NFL level, especially early on in his career, but his luck hasn't been as good as of late. His last two seasons have been derailed by injuries, and he has only played nine of a possible 32 games since the 2018 season began.

But because of those injury concerns, Kirksey may be able to be signed to a low-risk contract in 2020. With the Jaguars needing experience at the position but not having a ton of cap space to try to find an expensive option, Kirksey makes sense as a short-term option who could have a greater impact than his deal could indicate. 

If the Jaguars added Kirksey, they wouldn't be restricted from exploring other options at the position due to the contract he is likely to sign. He has the potential to be a low-risk, high-reward move for a Jaguars team that needs just those kinds of deals in 2020.