5 free agent wide receivers the Chargers could target even with Mike Williams
By Faustino Felix
3. Christian Kirk
Christian Kirk's breakout has been touted ever since he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals and then after Kyler Murray was drafted to be his quarterback. While not an incredible season, his 982 yards led the Cardinals in receiving in a year where the Cardinals needed players to step up after DeAndre Hopkins' absence.
PFF has his market value at 3 years $11.67 million avg/year, while Spotrac has him at 4 years $11.8 million avg/year. Over $11 million for a WR3 that hasn't hit in four years while playing in a fast-paced offense might be a bit rich, but there is a reason he keeps getting talked about. He is very talented, and when the team tried to replace him by signing A.J. Green to play in the Z spot opposite Hopkins while drafting Rondale Moore to man the slot, he held his own en route to leading the team in catches and receiving yards.
He played mostly outside in his first three seasons before moving to play primarily in the slot in 2021, mostly due to Green manning the outside. The move suited him well, but one has to question if the fit is right with the Chargers.
It could be valuable to have a receiver that can rotate out of the slot and out wide, as Keenan Allen is also proficient from both alignments. This kind of versatility will make life even more difficult for defenses as they try to read a very complex offense.
This doesn't look like a move the Chargers should make because of the price tag, but if Telesco and the offensive staff like the talent and what Kirk brings to the table, they could bring him in and make it work.