After the Jacksonville Jaguars hired James Gladstone as the general manager, he made a handful of moves that weren't necessarily popular. Just before free agency, he released tight end Evan Engram and traded wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans. Both of them dealt with injuries in 2024 but had been mainstays of the Jags offense in previous seasons, so their departure most definitely raised eyebrows.
Gladstone said that he respected both Kirk and Engram, but cutting ties with them helped the team address the larger scale roster. He was right, as he used that cap space to bolster a handful of position groups in free agents.