DJ Chark is catching on with his fourth team in four years. The free agent wideout has agreed to a deal with the Chargers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Chark will be signing a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, per Rapoport. The veteran wide receiver visited the organization prior to the draft.
The former second-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jaguars, including a 2019 campaign where he compiled 1,008 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He couldn’t put up the same volume in 2020, and he hit free agency following an injury-riddled 2021 campaign.
Still, Chark managed to garner a $10MM contract from the Lions that offseason, and he bounced back with 30 catches for 502 yards in 2022. He got a one-year, $5MM deal with the Panthers last offseason and put up similar numbers, finishing with 35 catches for 525 yards and five scores.
After moving on from both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, the Chargers have been connected to several of the remaining veteran WRs on the market. In addition to Chark, the team also expressed interest in Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Considering the team’s depth chart, this latest move shouldn’t take them out of the running for further reinforcement.
The team’s current receivers room is led by 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, and the team is still rostering Josh Palmer. The organization recently used a second-round pick on Ladd McConkey, and they also added rookies Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson in the seventh round (along with three UDFAs at the position). That makes Los Angeles a solid landing spot for Chark, who could improve his market value receiving passes from Justin Herbert. The free agent acquisition should also have a bit of a head start with the offense, as he played under current Chargers WRs coach (and former Jaguars WRs coach) Sanjay Lal when the two were in Jacksonville.
Ehh, not a bad signing. The Chargers are of course betting on the Chark from his final year in Jacksonville, but that version of Chark has good speed and decent size (if a bit lanky). Of the available free agent pool, he’s a player who can line up outside and has experience and some history of good production. At the same time, Chark won’t break the bank or be completely tied to the team if they need to move on. He was a good option, considering what was available and what the Chargers needed.
That said, Herbert is definitely going to find it much different in going from Allen or Williams as a primary target to Chark. Chark isn’t a bad player necessarily, but he’s no Allen.
Chark won’t be the primary
Johnston will get first crack
I expect McConkey to see his fair shares.
Chark is really there to be a veteran for young receivers and provide veteran leadership where the oldest guy is Palmer currently who’s been in the league 3 years. Charks going on his 7th.
I’d honestly love for them to roll with Johnston, Palmer, McConkey, Rice, and Johnson out of Michigan as their receivers. Let the young kids play rotate them to keep them fresh.
In your estimation, should the Chargers go after either SF’s WR’s or Tee in Cinny?
No. Draft capital and money won’t be worth it. Chargers need a hard reset on their finances.
Plus they need
Money for Slater extension
Money to find a true C or draft one
Money for some corners
Got a lot of holes to fill elsewhere besides receiver. Especially defense.
No, Chark won’t be number one, but I consider the top two outside targets as primary options. That’s mostly a hypothetical, but what is set is that Herbert has definitely lost his top two options who’ve been there for some time. I don’t mean to say that Chark will receive the most targets and be expected to replace the departed starters, but as he appears to be an outside receiver, I’d consider him to essentially see those snap numbers. Allen or Williams were, however, definitely primary options depending on who was available and the game plan. Herbert will be adapting from having those two as primary options to the collection that he has now, of which I do expect Chark to play a noticeable role.
Perhaps it sounds bad, and “starter” is a better word. I do expect Chark to see significant snaps, though, even if he’s not going to bd expected to be a one-for-one replacement for who’s left. It’ll definitely be an adjustment for Herbert.
McConkey could overshadow Johnston for sure. He could be a game changer
Don’t mind the signing, but this might knock Cornelius Johnson off the roster. DD will get the last spot on special teams.