DJ Chark’s potential return to the Detroit Lions emerged during his extended availability in the 2023 offseason. He struggled with the Carolina Panthers and an overmatched rookie quarterback last season, so it turned out to be a wise decision to not bring him back.
The thought of Chark going back to Detroit could have made some sense, given the Lions’ chances of losing Josh Reynolds to free agency this season. In any case, it would have happened sooner rather than later, and Chark is still available with less than a week to go before the draft.If there have been any free agent visits for Chark, they haven’t been widely reported. That was altered on Friday when Chark reportedly visited the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Chargers lost four key pass catchers from the previous campaign this offseason: Austin Ekeler, Gerald Everett, Mike Williams, and Keenan Allen. All three players were free agents when they left. They have only added tight ends Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst to the mix of pass catchers thus far; they have not signed a wide receiver who is a free agent.
Whether they hold onto their current position at No. 5 overall or make a trade to move down, the Chargers are well-positioned to choose a wide receiver in the first round of the draft. However, a veteran addition appears inevitable at this point because the depth chart is actually so shallow.
Though he had another unsatisfactory season in Carolina the previous year, Chark did maintain his ability to extend the field (15 yards per reception). Justin Herbert would be a good fit for the Chargers because of his arm strength, which is one of his strongest suit. It only takes one, and in this instance, Chark might discover his next squad with just one (very late) free agency visit.