Chark and the Chargers agreed to terms on a one-year contract Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Per Rapoport, the deal is worth up to $5 million. Chark visited with the Chargers exactly one week before the 2024 NFL Draft, and his signing with the team comes exactly one week after its first round. With L.A., he'll be providing a veteran presence to a receiving corps that parted with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, meaning Chark will be vying with the likes of Joshua Palmer (knee), Quentin Johnston and second-round rookie Ladd McConkey for reps in the upcoming campaign. In 15 regular-season games with the Panthers in 2023, Chark hauled in 35 of 66 targets for 525 yards and five touchdowns.
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Status
ACTIVELatest DJ Chark news
Team
Los Angeles Chargers
Birthdate
9/23/1996 (27)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'3", 200 lbs
Draft Info
2018: Rd 2; Pk (JAC)
Birthplace
Alexandria, LA, USA
Position
WR
College
LSU
Experience
7 seasons
Career History
Carolina Panthers
2023-2024
(1 season)
Detroit Lions
2022-2023
(1 season)
Jacksonville Jaguars
2018-2022
(4 seasons)
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Chark and the Chargers agreed to terms on a one-year contract Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Per Rapoport, the deal is worth up to $5 million. Chark visited with the Chargers exactly one week before the 2024 NFL Draft, and his signing with the team comes exactly one week after its first round. With L.A., he'll be providing a veteran presence to a receiving corps that parted with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, meaning Chark will be vying with the likes of Joshua Palmer (knee), Quentin Johnston and second-round rookie Ladd McConkey for reps in the upcoming campaign. In 15 regular-season games with the Panthers in 2023, Chark hauled in 35 of 66 targets for 525 yards and five touchdowns.
Chark visited the Chargers on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Few teams are more in need of wide receivers, with the Chargers having released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen earlier this offseason. Chark has never come close to matching his 1,008-yard, eight-TD performance in 2019 for Jacksonville, but he did top 500 yards both of the past two seasons in Detroit and Carolina, starting 21 of 26 games along the way. Chark will turn 28 in September and doesn't figure to command a large contract.
Chark was unable to play through his elbow injury in last Thursday's loss to the Bears, but with the benefit of a longer turnaround for the Panthers' Week 11 game against the Cowboys, he looks like he'll be ready to reprise his role as a starting receiver. The 27-year-old has struggled to connect with rookie quarterback Bryce Young this season, as Chark's biggest outing coming in Week 3 in Seattle, where he produced a 4-86-1 receiving line on 11 targets while Andy Dalton started under center as Young was out with an ankle injury. In Chark's other six appearances in which Young started, the wideout has hauled in just 13 of 23 targets for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Chark was listed as questionable with the elbow injury ahead of Sunday's game against the Colts, but he ultimately suited up and played 41 of 71 snaps on offense in a 27-13 loss, finishing with two catches for nine yards and a touchdown on three targets. The Panthers didn't indicate that Chark aggravated the elbow injury during the contest, so his listed non-participation Monday could well be maintenance-related. Carolina is facing a quick turnaround for Week 10 with a Thursday night matchup in Chicago.
After sitting out Wednesday's practice due to an elbow injury, Chark got back on the field Thursday and Friday in a limited fashion but wore a red non-contact jersey on both occasions. He was listed as questionable heading into the weekend, but after Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Saturday that Chark was expected to suit up Sunday, the wide receiver is doing just that. Chark thus will look to produce versus an Indianapolis defense that has surrendered the seventh-most yards per target (8.7) to opposing WRs this season.
After sitting out the first practice of Week 9 prep due to an elbow injury, Chark was back on the field in a non-contact jersey Thursday and capped it with back-to-back limited practices. With his status up in the air for Sunday, the likes of Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall could benefit if Chark is inhibited or sidelined this weekend.
Since sitting out the season opener due to a hamstring issue, Chark has been a regular in the Panthers' receiving corps, earning at least a 90 percent snap share in four of six contests. His overall output has been lacking, with a 15-220-2 receiving line on 31 targets. Now that he has a new health concern in tow, Chark's status will need to be monitored as the week goes on to get a sense of his potential to play Sunday against the Colts. Head coach Frank Reich said he's "optimistic" Chark will be available this weekend, but for now, the Panthers are viewing the wideout as day-to-day, per Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site.