The Bears hosted six free agent receivers earlier this week. With training camp getting underway, it will be interesting to see if any deals come about as a result of the visits. 
Per the transactions wire (via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times), the Bears worked out DJ Chark, Chance Campbell, Thomas Gordon, Peyton Hendershot, Matt Landers and Gervarrius Owens. Out of that group, Chark is of course the most noteworthy. He has 76 games and 51 starts to his name in the NFL.
At this point in Chark’s career, however, it remains to be seen when (or if) he will line up his next opportunity. The 28-year-old has played for four teams to date, and he spent last season with the Chargers. Chark was limited to just 10 games and only four receptions in 2024, so to no surprise he was not linked to any suitors before the start of training camps. Specific fit will be key in determining whether or not Chark continues his career.
“It depends,” the former second-rounder said in an interview with Kyle Odegard of Sports Casting when asked if he will play in 2025. “It will have to be something that makes sense, from a family perspective and also from an Xs and Os perspective. Getting up and going to any team just for the excitement — I’ll always love the game, but at this point, putting myself and my family in a great position is what’s ideal for me.”
Chark broke out with a Pro Bowl campaign during his second season in the NFL. Then with the Jaguars, he notched 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns that year and delivered another relatively strong season as a follow-up. Since then, however, the LSU product has battled injuries and inconsistency while spending time in Detroit and Carolina after the expiration of his Jacksonville rookie deal. With a 14.4 yards per reception average, Chark could offer any number of teams a vertical threat in the passing game.
The Bears still have D.J. Moore and 2024 first-rounder Rome Odunze in place at the receiver spot. The team also added Luther Burden in the second round of the draft after signing Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay as depth options in free agency. With over $13MM in cap space, Chicago could afford to add Chark on a one-year pact which would no doubt be worth the veteran minimum. Failing that, his time in the NFL may come to an end.
Johnson must be figuring on a ton of WR injuries this year. I mean how many do you need? I mean I get that this time of year is the big merry-go round where some team cuts player #90 and somebody else goes hey, He would be our player #87 but I’ve always wondered how that really helps teams build cohesiveness that you really need especially on offense. Is Chark really better than Scott at this point when Scott has been around all spring? IDK, There must be a reason I don’t see.
Seems like the Bears have pretty much told us what they think about Tyler Scott. I’m sure they’ve considered the factors you point out, and yet there’s a decent chance he’s not gonna make this team. The writing seemed on the wall when they signed Duverney and Zaccheus for that matter.
Well I’m assuming Zaccheus and Duvernay are locks so the only question was really whether Chark is better than Scott or any of the other FA’s like Boykin or the undrafted guys. I mean with Chark’s injury history you really can’t count on him for Special Teams right? I guess it could be a psych to make everybody see their jobs aren’t locks but unless there are other injuries that’s the way I see it shaking out. I think Boykin is better than Chark AND Scott but that’s just my opinion.
Chark is a much better receiver than Boykin, but Boykin brings value as a special teamer, while Chark brings none.
I always kind of thought that your #6 WR had better be good at ST’s if he even gets to suit up on Sunday. Maybe I’m wrong. LOL
Sure, although at a certain point you might consider a guy a special teamer and not really a receiver. Like how Homer almost never plays as an actual running back. That’s Boykin at this point. Duvernay is more special teamer than offensive weapon, too. If they’re not big on Scott, Chark could be seen as a potential field stretcher, which isn’t really what any of their other guys are.
Homer is gone and I’m tired of hearing what a ” Great” Special Teamer he is too. He can easily be replaced IMO.
Isn’t he still there? Also I never said he was great. I’m talking about roles.
Sorry. Yeah he’s still here I was just talking future tense.They have tons of ST improvements this year. I mean he’ll get cut I’m sure. I mean Johnson and Swift are locks and Monoghei is raved about every day and Wheeler too. I mean he’s a horrible RB and I never understood what Waldron saw in him because he’s the one who wanted and he’s long gone now.
Like I was saying, I don’t think you need to even count Homer on the depth chart as a running back if he’s there. Even under Waldron last year he only played 75 snaps on offense. The year before for the Bears, he got into every game but one, but only played 6 offensive snaps all season. He’s just a special teams contributor. He doesn’t have much to do with the running back depth chart. (And I would say the same about Boykin with the wide receiver depth chart if they keep him.)
My first thought was the same. Why? They have plenty of WR depth. Dont they need depth at other positions?
One time Chark scored a touchdown and a friend of mine sang “DJ Chark doo doo doo doo” to the tune of Baby Shark, and it’s played in my head every time I’ve seen his name ever since. I wish the man well, but I’ll know greater peace once his playing days are done for good.
Chark can’t help it. Neither can he help that autocorrect changed his name to “Shark” and “Charm” as I tried to post this. He probably gets a ton of it: Chark Week, Chark Bait, Chark Tank, Chark Attack, Pool Chark, Chark Vacuum Cleaner Sales Associate, you know, the usual. It probably weighs on him at night, the horrible things he’s been called.
Not his fault your friend does the devil’s work.
I’ve wondered how much time football writers have had to spend convincing autocorrect that they mean Levis and not Levi’s.
As long as Poles doesn’t have a brain cramp and decide to bring Kevin White back into the organization… it’s all good.
Moore & Odunze are definitely #1 & #2, and I expect Luther Burden will catch on immediately as the #3, leaving Olamide Zaccheaus as #4. Devin Duvernay should be safe as the return man & #5, so unless D.J. Chark is content with being #6, this isn’t the right fit. He can probably still be a #3 or #4 with the right team, maybe Buffalo, the Jets, or Seahawks.
A lot of offensive coaches-and good ones-like stacking the roster with tons of receivers to get different looks for specific packages. Most of the time they overdo it (like Sean Payton, who wanted to add more receivers to Denver’s crowded room this past offseason), but it gives them options. It also lets them see who is going to seize a role from large group of choices.
Do I think that the roster spots, most of the time, could go to other, more necessary spots? Yes, but I think I know why Johnson would do it. He also wants as many options as possible to see if which establish a good rapport with Williams to try and help develop him better. It’s smart on that front, in theory; downside is that you’re just using roster spots that could go to more urgent needs, too.
No matter what teams do and however you plan it out there’s one position group on every team that seems to take a beating. You can think you have everything covered but injuries can make you wrong every time. You end up scouring the waiver wire and practice squads trying to find somebody who can play. It almost never fails. I guess it’s good to a least have some kind of book on people.
Yeah, can’t argue with that.