Report: Former Panthers WR DJ Chark agrees to terms with Chargers on one-year deal

Former Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Chark has agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The contract is worth up to $5 million, per the report.

Before signing with the Chargers, Chark visited LA in the week leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, they’re putting pen to paper as he looks to bolster Justin Herbert‘s wide receiving corps with a veteran presence.

Last season, Chark played 15 games for the Panthers, hauling in 15 catches for 525 yards while scoring five touchdowns.

Carolina signed Chark last offseason after the wideout had spent one season with the Detroit Lions, where he ironically signed on to the Panthers with a one-year deal worth $5 million. He landed that contract after earning a one-year, $10 million deal with Detroit.

Chark hasn’t been a journeyman for his entire career, though. He spent four seasons, or his entire rookie contract, with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was selected No. 61 overall in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Jags.

He exploded onto the scene in 2019 after a quiet rookie season. Playing in 15 games that season, Chark logged career-high numbers that still last almost five seasons later having hauled in 73 receptions on 118 targets for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned a Pro Bowl nod that season for his efforts. He put together another strong season in 2020 having gone for 706 receiving yards and five touchdowns, but would never see the same production to this point in his career.

Injuries have been a big obstacle for Chark since joining the professional ranks, as the wideout has yet to play in a full slate of games in a season. After playing in four games during an injury-plagued 2021, Chark played in 11 contests for the Lions in 2022, starting 10.

Through six seasons in the NFL, Chark has compiled 212 receptions for 3,069 yards and 23 receptions across 69 appearances. If he can maintain his health, he provides the Chargers with instant play-making abilities with a knack for finding the end zone having scored eight touchdowns over the past two seasons despite his injuries.

With a new lease on life under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers have a lot to be excited about this offseason, and adding Chark to the mix is a welcome addition for those running the show in LA.