D.J. Chark‘s contract year has not started well, with the veteran wide receiver on IR. But the Jaguars have discussed the prospect of keeping him around beyond this season.
A fractured ankle sustained last week landed Chark on IR and clouds his future, but Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes the team held internal discussions about extending the fourth-year pass catcher this season. Chark formed a bond with Trevor Lawrence this offseason, per Jones, who adds the current regime — despite inheriting Chark — discussed a possible extension in order to develop some continuity after the franchise could not solidify long-term partnerships with Jalen Ramsey or Yannick Ngakoue.
A former second-round pick, Chark is the only Jaguar to clear 1,000 receiving yards in any of the past six seasons. The LSU product did so in 2019. Chark, 25, did not approach the 1,000-yard barrier last season, but his 706 yards — in 13 games — still led a woeful Jacksonville outfit.
The Jags have Laviska Shenault and Marvin Jones signed beyond this season, and Chark’s status has changed due to the ankle setback. This has continued a recent pattern for the productive wideout. Chark missed time last season for three different injuries and underwent finger surgery this offseason.
While Chark’s more severe ailment has interfered with his chance to make a pre-free agency statement, the Jags showing interest in another deal is certainly notable — even amid the turmoil engulfing the team’s current top decision-maker. The prospect of a Chark deal also looms as interesting given the unremarkable returns the team’s past two notable receiver re-ups — for Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee — produced.
Pay the man. It’s his first season with Lawrence and he was starting to do well and now he has a setback that will likely keep him out a couple of months. I would love to see what these two could do over a long period of time.
Yea, I hope they get a deal done.