D.J. Chark Jr.

Chargers Activate DJ Chark From IR

November 2nd, 2024 at 4:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers have activated DJ Chark from injured reserve, setting up the veteran wide receiver to make his season debut against the Browns on Sunday.

The Chargers signed Chark to a one-year, $3MM contract in the offseason as they rebuilt their offense after new head coach Jim Harbaugh hired ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman for the same job in Los Angeles.

Chark injured his hip before the start of the regular season, forcing him on IR on September 7. The Chargers turned to rookie Ladd McConkey and Josh Palmer as their starting receivers in their first seven games, but their passing offense still ranks close to the bottom of the league.

Chark may not provide a major boost to the Chargers offense, but he is still coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 500 receiving yards and has a stronger veteran pedigree than any other wideout on the roster. Rather than stepping into a starting role right away, Chark is more likely to be used in a rotational capacity behind McConkey, Palmer, and 2023 first-rounder Quentin Johnston.

The Chargers also used standard practice squad elevations on cornerback Eli Apple and wide receiver Jalen Reagor ahead of Sunday’s game. Both players are former first-round picks who joined Los Angeles’ practice squad earlier this season.

Chargers WR DJ Chark Returns To Practice

October 16th, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers could soon add some veteran talent to the WR depth chart. Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports that DJ Chark returned to practice today, meaning the team opened the wideout’s 21-day activation window.

Chark caught on with the Chargers this offseason and was expected to help soak up the snaps left by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, the veteran suffered a hip injury prior to Week 1 that ultimately landed him on injured reserve. Chark required more than a minimum stay on IR, but it sounds like he’s now zeroing in on a return to the field.

The former second-round pick had a breakout sophomore campaign with the Jaguars, hauling in 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to stay completely healthy in his two follow-up seasons, including a 2021 campaign where he was limited to four games thanks to an ankle injury.

Chark has bounced around the NFL in recent seasons. He spent the 2022 season with the Lions, where he collected 502 receiving yards in 11 games. He managed to get into 15 games with the Panthers in 2023, but he was limited to only 35 receiving yards per game, his lowest average since his rookie year.

In Los Angeles, Chark was initially expected to start alongside Josh Palmer in Jim Harbaugh‘s new-look offense. With the veteran out of the lineup, rookie second-round pick Ladd McConkey and 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston have stepped up, with the young duo leading the Chargers in targets. Chark may have an uphill battle to break the starting lineup, but he could slide in ahead of the likes of Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko, and rookie Brenden Rice.

Chargers Place WR DJ Chark On IR

September 7th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ new-look receiving corps will not have DJ Chark available at the start of the season. The veteran was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

A hip injury kept Chark out of practice during the week, and he will now be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. The 27-year-old took a one-year deal in free agency to come to Los Angeles, continuing his journey around the NFL after the end of his Jaguars rookie contract. Chark had one-year stints with the Lions and Panthers prior to joining the Bolts this spring.

Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were staples of the Chargers’ passing attack for years, including all four seasons in which quarterback Justin Herbert has been in place. Allen was traded to the Bears and Williams was released, however. Both veterans had one year remaining on their respective contracts, but many cap-related moves were made by new general manager Joe Hortiz in the offseason. An offer to keep Allen in the fold at a reduced rate was rejected, while Williams was let go after an ACL tear caused him to miss most of last year.

Los Angeles has Josh Palmer in place as a receiver holdover, and the 24-year-old Canadian is in line for a notable role as he approaches free agency. The Chargers’ top pick in last year’s draft – Quentin Johnston – will be expected to take a step forward after an underwhelming rookie campaign. Hortiz and new head coach Jim Harbaugh added three wideouts in the draft, including second-rounder Ladd McConkey. Chark was set to play at least a rotational role amidst that trio on his latest team, but his Chargers debut will be delayed.

A Pro Bowler in 2019, the LSU alum saw a downturn in production the following year and was limited to just four games in his final Jacksonville campaign. Chark also missed multiple games in Detroit and Carolina, but his production remained consistent with 1,027 yards and eight touchdowns across that span. With a career yards per catch average of 14.5, he will remain a vertical threat once healthy. For now, though, the Chargers’ pass-catching corps will be shorthanded.

Chargers Sign WR DJ Chark

May 2nd, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Ben Levine

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.

Chargers Host WR DJ Chark

April 19th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers could be positioned to add one of the top receiver prospects in next week’s draft, especially if they elect to retain the No. 5 pick. While a decision on that front is yet to be made, veteran options are also being considered.

Los Angeles hosted DJ Chark on a free agent visit yesterday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Chark is one of several veteran wideouts still on the market, and that will likely remain the case until after the draft. The former Jaguars Pro Bowler is coming off his second consecutive one-year tenure, having spent the 2023 season in Carolina.

Chark joined the Panthers on a $5MM deal last offseason, aiming to give the team a deep threat following his Lions stint. While ankle surgery aimed at preventing a repeat of the lingering ankle and foot issues he has dealt with did not produce a full campaign last year, Chark did manage to play 15 games with Carolina. He posted 525 receiving yards – the third-highest total of his career – and five touchdowns. The 27-year-old remained a field-stretching option, averaging 15 yards per reception.

The Chargers have also been linked to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, another veteran wideout known to be able to operate as a vertical option in the passing game. Los Angeles has a need at the WR spot with Mike Williams having been released and Keenan Allen being traded. Both Chark and Valdes-Scantling have experience as a starter which could help the team transition to the likes of Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer in a larger role moving forward.

The latter two are in place as key figures in the Chargers’ passing game as things stand. Johnston had an underwhelming rookie campaign after being selected in the first round last year, though, and Palmer is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Another Day 1 investment at the receiver position would thus come as little surprise, but any rookies added in the near future could be accompanied by Chark or Valdes-Scantling next season.

WR Notes: Watson, Metchie, Chark, McLaurin, Smith-Njigba

September 8th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Jordan Love‘s tenure as the Packers‘ full-time starting quarterback will have a bit of a hurdle to navigate this week. In his first start since November 2021, Love will be without the team’s top returning receiver Christian Watson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Watson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could potentially lead to an extended absence. Head coach Matt LaFleur claimed that he doesn’t think Watson will reach a three- or four-week absence but classified the second-year wideout as week-to-week.

The top target in Watson’s absence, fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs, is also dealing with a hamstring injury but is only listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks is the third such receiver on the team dealing with a hamstring injury, but he managed to avoid the injury report altogether. Star tackle David Bakhtiari is also available after staying off the injury report.

Here are a few more reports on wide receiver injuries from around the league heading into Week 1:

The world will have to continue to wait for the NFL debut of Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Despite making a recovery from both a torn ACL and leukemia, Metchie is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Houston is being patient, taking a “big-picture approach” to Metchie’s return. The team will be without safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Blake Cashman for Week 1, as well.
The Panthers are slowly working their way back to full health in their receiving corps, according to Panthers writer Augusta Stone. Back ups Terrace Marshall and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are now fully participating in practice after recent injury trouble. Starters Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark Jr. both returned to practice today in a limited capacity. While Thielen was listed as questionable and could still play, Chark has been ruled out for the team’s season opener.
The Commanders drew lots of criticism when leading receiver Terry McLaurin sustained an injury as the team played its starters fairly deep into a preseason game in an effort to end the Ravens’ preseason win streak. They’ll dodge a bullet, though, as McLaurin will be active this week after making good progress from his turf toe injury, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. He’s had a couple of full participation practices and should be good to go for Week 1. Defensive end Chase Young has been listed as questionable, though. Head coach Ron Rivera claimed that “if (Young’s) cleared, he’ll go.”
Despite undergoing wrist surgery just two and a half weeks ago, Seahawks rookie first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to play in the team’s season opener against the Rams this Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach Pete Carroll, who was optimistic on the recovery timeline, confirmed as much this week.

Panthers WR DJ Chark Undergoes Ankle Surgery

April 22nd, 2023 at 6:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

DJ Chark was one of two notable receiver additions made by the Panthers this offseason. He comes to Carolina with injury concerns from his previous stops, but a step aimed at ending them has been taken.

Chark recently underwent ankle surgery, as confirmed by head coach Frank Reich (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Joe Person). The new Panthers coach added that Chark could be available to take part in at least some of the team’s OTAs later this offseason. The procedure, if successful, could help the latter move on from the lingering foot and ankle issues he has dealt with in his career.

The 26-year-old did not play a full regular season campaign during his four years in Jacksonville or his one-year stint in Detroit. Chark’s time with the Lions only lasted 11 games, but he averaged 16.7 yards per catch in 2022, demonstrating his continued ability to stretch the field. His production led to a one-year Panthers contract featuring $5MM in guaranteed money. That will give him the opportunity – along with fellow veteran Adam Thielen – to contribute in Carolina’s new-look WR room, one which no longer includes D.J. Moore.

Chark was one of the better members of this year’s weak receiver class in free agency, and he had interest from the Lions in remaining for at least one more season. Instead, he chose to come to Carolina in no small part due to the connection between himself and Duce Staley. The latter – hired by Reich with the title of running backs/assistant head coach – worked alongside Chark in Detroit last season.

“Duce was a big factor in DJ coming here,” general manager Scott Fitterer confirmed, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “He reached out to him once we hit free agency… He reached out and said, ‘Hey, listen, here’s the role, what do you want to do? I’ve been with you’… And really, he recruited him.”

Chark will have a rookie quarterback throwing to him in 2023 as part of his adjustment to a third career NFL team. His connection with Staley will give him a familiar face, however, as he looks to put together a healthy season and boost his free agent value in the process. Assuming he recovers in full from surgery, he will be well-positioned to do just that.

Panthers To Sign WR DJ Chark

March 24th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Lions and Panthers continued their DJ Chark pursuits this week. Carolina already bringing in Adam Thielen will not deter the team from adding Chark as well.

Chark agreed to terms on a one-year Panthers deal Friday, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets. ESPN’s Field Yates subsequently tweeted that Chark, who will join Thielen and a to-be-determined rookie quarterback in Charlotte, will earn a fully guaranteed $5MM, which is comprised of a $3.92MM signing bonus and a $1.08MM base salary. The deal also includes four void years for cap purposes.

One of the better wideouts to hit the market, Chark joined Mecole Hardman and Nelson Agholor in agreeing to terms during free agency’s second week. While Thielen will provide the Panthers with a possession receiver, Chark stands to sign on as a field-stretching presence. Injuries have interrupted Chark’s progress over the past two seasons, likely leading to the one-year deal. But the Panthers, shortly after including D.J. Moore in their trade for the No. 1 overall pick, hosted both Thielen and Chark on visits.

The Lions expressed interest in re-signing Chark just after the 2022 season ended, and the former second-round pick also indicated a Detroit return would be on his radar. The sides could not come to terms, however, leading to the Panthers adding another starter. This will position Chark to either prove a fit in Carolina ahead of a potential long-term extension or hope for a more lucrative deal on the 2024 free agent market.

Over the past few months, Carolina had lost both its top receivers — Moore and Chosen Anderson — with the latter being traded after a sideline incident before last year’s deadline. Chark and Thielen may not represent long-term pieces for Carolina’s next quarterback to target, but Thielen is signed to a multiyear deal (worth $14MM guaranteed) and Chark is only going into his age-27 season.

Chark broke through back in 2019, totaling 1,008 receiving yards while teaming with Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville. The Jaguars reached their franchise nadir over the next two seasons, earning the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 and ’22, but Chark still contributed 706 yards to their cause in 2020. He suffered a fractured ankle early in the team’s 2021 season, but the Lions thought enough of the 6-foot-4 pass catcher to give him $10MM last year.

Although Chark ran into more ankle trouble that landed him on IR, he showed promising form upon returning. En route to a 508-yard season for a surprising Lions squad, Chark played a role in Detroit’s late-season surge by producing three 90-plus-yard receiving games in a four-week span in December. Chark reached a season-high 108 yards during a Week 16 loss to the Panthers, and GM Scott Fitterer will bring him aboard to help Frank Reich‘s team.

The Panthers now have two former LSU wideouts on their roster, in Chark and 2021 second-rounder Terrace Marshall. It cannot be ruled out Carolina looks to this position again in the draft, but Thielen and Chark give the team some veteran options in case it prefers to look elsewhere with its early- and mid-round picks.

Lions, Panthers Still Interested In DJ Chark

March 20th, 2023 at 10:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two DJ Chark suitors have made their intentions known this offseason. The Lions said they were interested in re-signing the former second-round pick back in January, while the Panthers met him last week. While we are nearly a week into the 2023 league year, Chark still has a market — but perhaps not quite on the level he expected.

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said Monday (via Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt) that, despite Adam Thielen agreeing to terms on a three-year deal worth $25MM, the team is still talking with Chark. The Lions have also kept tabs on Chark, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, who notes (via Twitter) the team has discussed a Detroit return with the sixth-year wide receiver over the past week.

The Lions took a higher-end flier on Chark last year, giving him $10MM to join Amon-Ra St. Brown in a retooling receiving corps. Chark, 26, battled more ankle trouble — after a broken ankle ended his 2021 Jaguars finale — but re-emerged to become a key weapon for Jared Goff as the team made a late playoff push. Averaging a career-high 16.4 yards per reception, the 6-foot-4 target totaled 502 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.

Lions GM Brad Holmes said he wanted to re-sign Chark, and the ex-Jaguars 1,000-yard receiver indicated he wanted to stay as well. St. Brown is in Year 3 of his rookie contract; he cannot negotiate an extension until 2024. Jameson Williams can be kept on his rookie deal through 2026. The Panthers became a player here following their trade-up for the No. 1 overall pick, which cost them D.J. Moore. Chark joined Thielen in meeting with the team last week, but even with the longtime Viking in the fold, the Panthers still have a need. They traded Chosen Anderson to the Cardinals last season; Terrace Marshall (490 yards) is Carolina’s top returning pass catcher.

Carolina will soon be building around a rookie-quarterback contract, leaving room to spend in other areas. Chark, however, will not likely qualify as a significant expense. As expected, this year’s receiver market is not producing windfalls. This FA class was not believed to be driving too much interest, and the deals handed out to its top prizes reflect that. Jakobi Meyers landed an $11MM-per-year pact, while JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s Patriots accord came in just south of $9MM per year. Neither AAV is among the top 25 at the position. Odell Beckham Jr. denied his long-rumored $20MM-per-year ask is rooted in reality, but he should not be expected to do too well, either.

Thielen did do fairly well, all things considered. The 10-year Viking was a cap casualty who is going into his age-33 season. His Panthers deal includes a $2MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2024 league year, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets, but the $14MM guaranteed could point to the Division II product playing two seasons in Charlotte. The Panthers could get out of the contract after one year, but even in a post-June 1 cut scenario, releasing Thielen in 2024 would still tag the team with $6.2MM in dead money.

Panthers Still Seeking WR Help In Free Agency

March 19th, 2023 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Panthers have been working extremely hard this offseason to become unrecognizable from last year. After major changes all over the coaching staff, the team made moves to acquire the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023, following that up with a litany of free agent moves aimed at improving the roster for new head coach Frank Reich and company.

There’s no doubt that Carolina has been swinging big in their attempts to bring in talent. Apart from retaining center Bradley Bozeman, who joined a much-improved offensive line last year, and extending their defensive leader Shaq Thompson, the team has acquired some major talent on both sides of the ball. Former Bengals safety Vonn Bell and former Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle will come in to bolster a defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league in point allowed, total yards allowed, passing yards allowed, and rushing yards allowed.

While the Panthers’ defensive unit wasn’t great, it wasn’t one of the league’s very worst. The team’s offense, on the other hand, ranked 29th in the NFL in total yards and passing yards, leaving Carolina’s passing attack in need of some major upgrades. The Panthers were a top-10 rushing team, and despite trading away Christian McCaffrey and losing D’Onta Foreman to free agency, they are set up extremely well at running back after signing former Eagle Miles Sanders.

In the passing game, the Panthers biggest move was perhaps the trade that gave them the first pick of the draft, but they’ve made other complimentary moves, as well. While it’s widely expected that Carolina will use the pick to draft a franchise quarterback, the team made an extremely savvy move by signing former Saints and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton became superfluous in New Orleans after the arrival of Derek Carr and the announcement that Jameis Winston would remain with the team. In Carolina, though, Dalton serves a new, major role. He will either serve as a transitionary starting quarterback bridging the gap from last year’s starters to whomever the Panthers select in the draft, allowing that player to sit, learn, and develop, or he will remain one of the league’s more experienced backups, capable of starting in case of injury to or inconsistency from the team’s rookie starter.

The team also addressed the tight end position, bringing in a strong receiving tight end in Hayden Hurst, who has joined his fourth team after stints with the Ravens, Falcons, and Bengals. This addition surely helps, but after trading away D.J. Moore in the deal that gave them the top overall draft pick, more help at wide receiver is clearly needed. The team currently rosters some decent options in Terrace Marshall, Shi Smith, and Laviska Shenault, but without Moore, there is an obvious absence of a No. 1 receiver.

The Panthers aren’t content with finding only one new contributor at wideout, according to Dov Kleiman of BroBible. The team has wanted two major free agent wide receivers: long-time Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen and former Jaguars and Lions receiver DJ Chark. Carolina hosted Thielen on Wednesday and, as of minutes ago, are finalizing a deal to bring in the 32-year-old veteran. Chark visited two days ago and would be a strong option across from Thielen. Chark also provides the benefit of long-term potential at only 26 years old.

The Panthers’ locker room will be looking extremely different in 2023. Already on offense, Dalton, Sanders, Hurst, and now Thielen form an impressive collection of experience and talent. If the team can bring in the right quarterback in the draft and lure Chark in to join his former NFC North rival in Carolina, the Panthers’ offense could become a new strength for the team next season.

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