CB Andre Chachere Announces Retirement
Finding longevity in the NFL at any level is an impressive feat. Doing so as an undrafted free agent out of college takes some serious determination. After seven years in the NFL, cornerback Andre Chachere failed to find his way onto a roster in 2025, and today he announced his decision to retire from the NFL.
Chachere came out of San Jose State, where he played almost exclusively on the outside as a cornerback. After seeing few snaps as a freshman, he found a consistent role coming off the bench in his sophomore year. His strongest season came in a breakout junior campaign that saw him intercept four passes, returning them for a total of 117 yards, and register 14 passes defensed as a full-time starter. His production dipped a bit in his final year, though, and Chachere went undrafted in 2018, initially signing with the Texans.
Patient and determined, Chachere didn’t make his NFL debut until his fourth year in the league. After failing to make the initial 53-man roster in Houston, he started the season on the Texans’ practice squad but ended up in Detroit, signing to the Lions’ taxi squad in mid November. He was briefly called up to the active roster as a rookie in Detroit but didn’t see any game time. After failing to make the Lions’ 53-man roster the next year, Chachere signed to the Cardinals’ practice squad, was released a month later, signed to the Panthers’ practice squad, then was signed off the Panthers’ p-squad to the Cardinals’ active roster, again failing to see any game time. After getting cut in the offseason, Chachere spent the 2020 season on the Colts’ practice squad.
Once again failing to make an initial 53-man roster, Chachere was claimed off waivers by the Eagles for the 2021 season. He finally made his way into an NFL game, initially serving mostly on special teams before earning his first career start in the final week of the regular season. He remained in Philadelphia in 2022, but after appearing in 16 games the prior year, he only saw action in seven games in his second season making it onto the field. Waived again in the offseason, Charchere was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals, marking his third stint with the team. In the most active season of his career, he found his way onto the field as a nickelback for the Cardinals, spending a good portion of his snaps back at safety, in the slot, and in the box after playing in college on the outside. Appearing in all 17 games that season, he made five starts.
Chachere failed to make one more 53-man roster the next year and signed to the Jaguars practice squad for less than a month before a fourth stint in Arizona on the practice squad. Chachere has made the decision to end his playing career with eyes on an unclear future. After working three full years before making his NFL debut and spending so much time on the waiver wire, he still found a way to make an impact for a short time on an NFL defense and lasted seven years in the league.
Travis Hunter To Be Limited During Jaguars’ OTAs
An LCL tear ended Travis Hunter‘s rookie season and required a lengthy recovery process. His rehab is ongoing, but a return to a full workload during the spring is not expected.
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) Hunter is set to be a limited participant in upcoming OTAs. Spring practices are voluntary and do not involved contact, but returning to the fold in some capacity would of course be welcomed news. Gladstone added Hunter is on track to be a full participant in training camp.
When the 2025 Heisman winner is back in the fold, a talking point will of course be his workload. Hunter was used on both sides of the ball during his rookie campaign, with a heavier emphasis on his receiver duties than his cornerback ones. A two-way role is still the plan for 2026, but Hunter is set to operate as a full-time cornerback moving forward. That would mark a shift in philosophy, with the receiver spot becoming only a part-time position.
Finding a long-term plan in Hunter’s case will obviously be a priority for Jacksonville. The team traded up to No. 2 last April to select the Colorado product, and as such the Jags do not own a first-rounder for this year’s draft. Generating production on both sides of the ball would be highly beneficial for all involved, especially given the price paid to acquire Hunter. Nevertheless, stability with respect to his weekly role and reducing the risk of injury based on an abnormal workload would be key for 2026 and beyond.
Hunter, 23 in May, was limited to seven games last season. He is set to return to a receiver room including Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington. At cornerback, the Jaguars have Montaric Brown – who inked a lucrative deal to avoid departing in free agency – and 2025 free agent signing Jourdan Lewis atop the depth chart. Hunter should have a clearer path to playing time on defense, making his planned position setup a logical one.
Jacksonville’s offseason program will begin later than the those of teams which changed head coaches during the hiring cycle. When it does get underway, Hunter’s workload will be worth watching as the Jaguars prepare for a ramp-up period during the summer.
NFL Injury Updates: Trapilo, Horton, Hunter
Things were looking up for the Bears as they finished the season with a winning record for the first time since 2018, made the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and won a playoff game for the first time since 2010. They also seemed to have found a possible answer to their long-standing questions at left tackle, as well, but the team’s trip to the postseason threw a bump in the road for that answer when rookie second-round tackle Ozzy Trapilo suffered a torn patellar tendon, ending his postseason and guaranteeing at least some missed games in 2026 but possibly all of them, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Trapilo was patient as a rookie. Starting out on special teams duty, the Boston College product was asked to fill in at right tackle when starting left tackle Braxton Jones went down with injury and right tackle Theo Benedet, filling in for an injured Darnell Wright, flipped over to cover the blind side. Wright was able to return the next week to spell Trapilo after he had a rough outing in his first opportunity at extended time on the first-team offense. By Week 12 of the season, though, Trapilo got his second chance at a starting opportunity and was ready for it. Mainly a right tackle in college, Trapilo was asked to try his hand at the left tackle spot, and the team saw immediate results. Not having manned the spot with a consistently reliable name since Charles Leno, Jr.‘s six-year run ended in 2020, it seemed sunshine had broken through the clouds before Trapilo went down in the playoffs.
We were aware that Trapilo was expected to miss time in 2026, and expectations had grown to speculation of a lengthy absence, but head coach Ben Johnson‘s comments this week changed that picture a bit. Per Finley, the second-year head coach informed the media that the team isn’t sure if they “will get…Trapilo back at all (for the 2026) season.” The Bears have some options to utilize as they bridge the gap until Trapilo’s return, recently adding former Browns starting left tackle Jedrick Wills to the pair that started the season at the position last year, Jones and Benedet.
Here are a couple other injury updates from around the NFL:
- A promising rookie campaign for Seahawks fifth-round wide receiver Tory Horton was unceremoniously cut short when he suffered a shin injury and missed the second half of the season. According to general manager John Schneider (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson), Horton is still going to be limited for spring workouts, but he is expected to be ready to return in time for training camp. The second-year Colorado State product will be returning to a receiving corps that still includes Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, former triple crown-winner Cooper Kupp, and — added since the last time Horton played — the dangerous, speedy Rashid Shaheed.
- Lastly, a much-anticipated rookie year for Jaguars second-overall pick Travis Hunter was similarly cut short after only seven games when he underwent a season-ending LCL repair procedure. According to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union, head coach Liam Coen relayed to the media this week that Hunter is “very well ahead of where he’s supposed to be,” in regard to his injury rehabilitation. He added that “the docs and athletic trainers feel really good about him.” Primarily working as a wide receiver in Year 1 and playing off the bench at cornerback, the two-way player is expected to play more defense upon his return from injury, receiving fewer offensive snaps next year, as a result.
Jags, Travon Walker Agree On Extension
Not long after James Gladstone expressed confidence some Jaguars extensions would be doled out, the highest-profile player included in that group has a deal in place. The Jags are extending Travon Walker, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
The sides agreed on a four-year, $110MM extension, Rapoport adds, confirming $77MM will be guaranteed and $50MM locked in at signing. This deal comes two years after the previous Jacksonville front office agreed to terms with Josh Hines-Allen.
Details of these agreements regularly trickle out slowly, but we have the key particulars upfront. That certainly indicates satisfaction with the terms from the player’s side, with Walker’s agency confirming the details.
At $27.5MM per year, Walker becomes the 12th-highest-paid edge rusher. This market settles far south of where last year’s boom moved the EDGE market, with Aidan Hutchinson — chosen one spot after Walker in 2022 — being one of the key parties in that 2025 sea change. It also comes in below where the Trent Baalke regime settled with Hines-Allen, who is tied to a five-year deal that averages $28.25MM per annum.
Considering Trevor Lawrence is on a $55MM-per-year deal, extending a second edge rusher in this realm represents a substantial commitment from the Jaguars. Walker also is coming off a down season. That certainly stood to help the team in negotiations, and Rapoport indicates talks have taken place for weeks. Walker also checks in 12th in full guarantees but 10th in total guaranteed money. It will be important to know what the early guarantee triggers are on this deal — if any exist.
A report coming out of the league meetings indicated preliminary Jags talks with Walker, Parker Washington and Brenton Strange were unfolding. We certainly made it far past the preliminary stage, as Walker’s camp accepted an offer. It is worth wondering if the former No. 1 overall pick would have been amenable to a deal outside the top 10 at his position had he stayed on the trajectory he was on from 2023-24.
Leading off a brigade of Georgia defenders chosen in the 2022 first round, Walker broke through in 2023 with 10 sacks and 19 QB hits. Although the Jaguars declined in 2024, Walker stayed on track by racking up career-high marks in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (13). While the Jags rocketed to a 13-4 season in 2025 under Liam Coen, Walker regressed. He totaled 3.5 sacks, eight TFLs and 13 QB hits. His 19 QB pressures ranked 66th last season.
When Hines-Allen signed his five-year, $141.25MM extension, the salary cap stood at $255.4MM. It is now at $301.2MM. Had Walker come through with a third straight double-digit sack season, the Jags would have been unlikely to keep his second contract under $30MM per year. Jacksonville will pay Walker more than Denver authorized for two-time Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto in 2025 (four years, $106MM). That is a notable win here for a player without any Pro Bowl accolades.
It is impossible to examine Walker’s career without Hutchinson comparisons. We heard before the draft the Jags were split on choosing Walker’s upside over Hutchinson’s higher floor, one that stemmed from high-end production at Michigan. Baalke went with Walker, and the Lions benefited.
Hutchinson has two Pro Bowls on his resume and came back from a 2024 broken leg with a career-high 14.5 sacks to go with 35 QB hits last season. During the 2025 campaign, Hutchinson signed a monster Detroit extension (four years, $180MM). That deal, which included a defender-record $141MM guaranteed, trails only Micah Parsons among defensive players.
Baalke’s misstep gave the Lions a dominant pass rusher; it also helps the Gladstone regime sign a more affordable extension here. Walker still brings upside at 25, but he and Hutchinson certainly appear to be in different tiers as impact players.
This move is for a Baalke draftee, but it represents the third significant extension for Gladstone, who paid trade acquisition Jakobi Meyers weeks after landing him at the deadline. Meyers was brought in under Gladstone and Coen, while Walker joins offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen as a Baalke investment paid by the current regime.
The 2024 Jags offseason brought extensions for Lawrence, Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell. Jacksonville’s current front office managed to move off the Campbell deal in a deadline trade for Greg Newsome, who has since signed with the Giants. Taking the Campbell contract off the payroll, the Jags also let Devin Lloyd walk in free agency. These decisions helped create room to afford Walker’s second contract. Walker was headed into a fifth-year option season ($15.2MM).
Gladstone and Coen will bet on Walker bouncing back in 2026. Hines-Allen, 28, has not notched a double-digit sack season since his franchise-record 17.5-sack slate in 2023. But he rebounded as a pressure artist under Anthony Campanile, tallying 48 — fifth in the NFL. The Jags will hope Walker (23rd and 22nd in pressures in 2023 and ’24, respectively) has a similar gear to reach in this defensive scheme.
Jaguars Discussing Extensions With Travon Walker, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange
The 2024 Jaguars offseason brought big-ticket extensions, while a reset of sorts occurred last year. As Jacksonville’s Liam Coen-James Gladstone regime moves through Year 2, however, some of Trent Baalke‘s draft choices are on the extension radar.
Edge rusher Travon Walker, wide receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange have engaged in extension talks with the Jaguars, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. These are being categorized as preliminary discussions, but it is certainly notable these players are under consideration to be paid by a regime that did not draft them. Gladstone said, via DiRocco, the team is “probably within striking distance to see things come to light” regarding such extensions.
While it is certainly not surprising to see Walker’s name here, the Jags overhauled their skill-position corps in 2025. The team released Evan Engram, Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay while trading Christian Kirk to the Texans last year. Brian Thomas Jr. did not build on his strong rookie season, and trade acquisition Jakobi Meyers ended up being paid — at three years and $60MM. But Baalke-era picks Strange and Washington joined Meyers in making big impacts as Trevor Lawrence turned things around last season.
A 2023 sixth-round pick, Washington had worked as a Kirk replacement in the past. Last year brought a breakthrough, with Coen’s offense unlocking the Penn State product’s potential. Washington led the Jags with 847 receiving yards last season, totaling a career-high five touchdown grabs. The Jags have Meyers at $20MM per year to go with Lawrence’s $55MM-AAV deal, but they will see what it will take to keep Washington off the 2027 free agent market.
The 204-pound wide receiver certainly upped his stock in 2025, but the 2026 season should — in theory, at least — see a concerted effort to involve Thomas, especially now that Travis Hunter is shifting more to a cornerback role. Meyers also ignited the Jags’ offense following his midseason arrival, and the in-season extension reflects the Gladstone-Coen duo’s faith in his abilities moving forward. Washington continuing on his current pace, however, would make him one of the top 2027 WR free agents. The Jags have until next March to negotiate exclusively with him.
Strange took Engram’s spot as Jacksonville’s top receiving tight end last season, amassing 540 yards on 46 receptions. Strange averaged 11.7 yards per catch and smashed his previous yards-per-game best by producing his season yardage total in just 12 contests during an injury-shortened season. The Jags jettisoned Engram’s three-year, $41.25MM extension last March but are exploring what moving back into the upper-echelon TE market will cost.
The NFL currently features 14 tight ends earning at least $10MM per year. Strange will assuredly aim to join that club, and the former second-round pick — Washington’s teammate at Penn State — could up his price with a quality contract year.
Walker profiles as a 2027 franchise tag candidate. Tied to a fifth-year option salary of $15.2MM, the former No. 1 overall pick totaled 21.5 sacks from 2023-24 before tallying just 3.5 in 14 games last season. The Georgia alum posted fewer QB hits (13) and tackles for loss (eight) compared to his 2023 or ’24 totals; his 19 pressures tied for 66th. Josh Hines-Allen, who finished fifth in pressures (with 46) last season, received the tag after playing out his fifth-year option season. The Baalke regime extended him on a five-year, $141.25MM deal.
With the cap rising by nearly $50MM since that contract was finalized, Walker’s camp will likely set a higher price. But he is not coming off an especially impressive season. Still, the longtime Hines-Allen sidekick would be one of the 2027 market’s top prizes were he to make it there. We are a long way away from that, and the tag serves as a mechanism for the Jags to impede that path. Walker, whom Baalke drafted ahead of All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson, will not turn 26 until December. That stands to strengthen his leverage in extension talks.
Jaguars To Exercise RT Anton Harrison’s Fifth-Year Option
Entering his third season in 2025, Anton Harrison was not a lock to continue as the Jaguars’ starting right tackle. Not only did the former first-round pick keep the job, but he played well enough to stick around for at least another couple of years. General manager James Gladstone said Monday that the Jaguars will exercise Harrison’s 2027 fifth-year option for $19.02MM, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports.
A month and a half after losing Jawaan Taylor to the Chiefs in free agency, the Jaguars moved back twice in the 2023 draft and selected Harrison at No. 27. The Oklahoma product posted his lone 17-start season as a rookie, though Pro Football Focus rated him an underwhelming 67th among tackles. Harrison played and started 16 games in his second season, in which PFF placed him an improved 50th in its rankings.
After beating out free agent pickup Chuma Edoga for Jacksonville’s right tackle spot last summer, Harrison started in all 15 appearances. The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder once again took steps forward in the estimation of PFF, which regarded him as the league’s 29th-best tackle. Harrison was particularly strong as a pass blocker, helping quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a career year in which he finished fifth in MVP voting. Lawrence’s progress under the rookie head coach-offensive coordinator tandem of Liam Coen and Grant Udinski played a major role in the Jaguars going from 4-13 to 13-4 in a one-year span.
Coming off an AFC South-winning campaign, the Jaguars have identified Harrison as a key contributor going forward. They could make an even bigger commitment to Harrison via an extension this offseason. For now, though, he will join left tackle Cole Van Lanen, center Robert Hainsey and right guard Patrick Mekari as O-line starters under Jags control through at least 2027.
Jaguars Could Release DT Arik Armstead
The Jaguars currently sit near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space. Jacksonville has less than $6MM in spending power at the moment, but that figure could rise later in the offseason. 
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco identifies Arik Armstead as a potential release candidate. The veteran defensive tackle has one year remaining on his contract. None of his scheduled base salary ($14MM) is guaranteed, however, and Armstead is due to carry a cap charge of $19.39MM in 2026.
A cut at this point in the offseason would not be feasible due to the dead money it would generate. Waiting until after June 1 to proceed with a release would, on the other hand, yield $14.49MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of only $4.9MM. It will be interesting to see how the Jags proceed along the defensive interior during the draft as a result.
Jacksonville already has one notable contract (DaVon Hamilton) on the books at the defensive tackle position. The team’s financial planning in the front seven also has to take into account Josh Hines-Allen‘s $28.25MM-per-year extension and a potential big-money commitment to Travon Walker. The former No. 1 pick is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2026, so working out an extension this offseason would come as little surprise in his case.
The Jaguars were the NFL’s top run defense in 2025, but they struggled to generate a consistent pass rush. Armstead contributed 5.5 sacks during his second campaign in Duval County, a notable rebound from the two he posted the year before. Armstead will again be counted on as a key presence up front provided he remains in the fold for 2026 after he logged a 60% snap share this past season. He will turn 33 midway through the 2026 campaign, though, so finding a successor via the draft would represent a reasonable approach for general manager James Gladstone and Co.
Jacksonville does not own a first-round pick thanks to the trade up for Travis Hunter last April. The Jaguars nevertheless have 11 selections as things stand, so there will be plenty of opportunities to make on or two additions to the defensive line. If that takes place, Armstead’s situation will be worth watching closely.
Chiefs Considered Pursuing Anthony Richardson Prior To Justin Fields Trade; Latest On Colts QB
Once Gardner Minshew departed in free agency, the Chiefs found themselves in need of a new backup quarterback. They filled that vacancy with last week’s trade for Justin Fields.
The former Bear, Steeler and Jet will spend the offseason handling first-team reps while Patrick Mahomes continues his rehab process. Depending on how long that takes, Fields could find himself atop the depth chart early in the 2026 campaign. That may have also been true of another quarterback Kansas City showed interest in.
SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora reports the Chiefs “considered” Anthony Richardson when weighing their QB options. The three-year Colts passer was granted permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason, something which came as no surprise. La Canfora’s latest piece echoes earlier ones indicating a limited market exists for Richardson, whose NFL career has certainly not gone according to plan so far.
The Packers have been mentioned as a potential landing spot previously, and a GM voiced an expectation (via La Canfora) Green Bay will be the team that brings in Richardson. The Packers had success with their Malik Willis buy-low transaction, sending the Titans only a seventh-round pick for a player who just landed $45MM guaranteed at signing (from the Dolphins). While the Packers will be in the market for another Jordan Love backup, some around the league pointed to the Jaguars as a potential Richardson destination.
Although the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade (Dolphins to Jets) showed teams can be open to trading starters within their divisions, it is quite rare for such moves to take place. The Joe Flacco (2025), Donovan McNabb (2010), Drew Bledsoe (2002) swaps — which involved supplanted starters or, in the Eagles’ case, soon-to-be replaced starters — show in-division QB deals can happen. But they are extraordinarily uncommon.
The Jaguars have Nick Mullens stationed as Trevor Lawrence‘s backup presently; the Liam Coen-James Gladstone regime brought in the journeyman reserve in March 2025. Richardson, 24 in May, would obviously bring a talent upgrade — albeit one that has struggled for most of his pro career. The Colts look to be through with the former No. 4 overall pick. They separated from the exec who initially championed Richardson — Morocco Brown — last year and have since transition-tagged and extended Daniel Jones. Riley Leonard is in place as Jones’ backup.
Richardson, who starred in Gainesville in 2022, is due a $5.39MM guarantee for 2026. The Jaguars have experience with this type of trade, having sent the Patriots a sixth-rounder for Mac Jones in 2024. Jones played out his rookie deal before signing with the 49ers (two years, $7MM) in 2025, becoming a high-end trade chip after a bounce-back season in San Francisco.
Becoming only the eighth quarterback to complete fewer than 50% of his passes on 200-plus attempts in a season, Richardson has been both erratic and unreliable as a pro. The one-year Florida starter missed missed 13 games with a shoulder injury in 2023 and dealt with multiple issues in 2024. Oblique trouble knocked Richardson out early in the ’24 season, and after a performance-based benching brought a brief midseason Flacco cameo, the aging QB was back at the controls to close the season due to Richardson experiencing foot and back trouble. The 2025 offseason then brought another shoulder issue for Richardson, who then suffered an orbital fracture in the Colts’ locker room.
The latter issue prompted the Colts to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement when Jones suffered an Achilles tear in December. Richardson returned to practice but was not activated from IR. Some teams are concerned about the quarterback’s vision in the wake of the eye injury, according to La Canfora.
Last year, execs pegged the fourth-rounder Lance drew from the Cowboys as realistic for Richardson. But if vision concerns are shared by a number of teams — for a player who has fallen out of favor in Indianapolis — it might be difficult for the Colts to fetch that price. For now, Richardson’s camp can keep shopping. A report of mutual interest between the QB and the Vikings will not produce a move, as Minnesota has since signed Kyler Murray and brought back Carson Wentz.
As for the Chiefs, they have seen Mahomes prove a quick healer in the past. ACL and LCL tears obviously represent the megastar’s most significant hurdle to date, and Fields represents low-cost insurance. The Chiefs are on the hook for just $3MM of Fields’ 2026 compensation. Mahomes does not have a clear timetable yet, but Week 1 is believed to be in play. Fields will follow the likes of Wentz, Chad Henne, Blaine Gabbert and Gardner Minshew as a veteran backup. Late-season starter Chris Oladokun remains on Kansas City’s roster as well.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Seahawks Match Jaguars’ Offer Sheet For WR Jake Bobo
Last week, Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo signed an offer sheet with the Jaguars. He will not be on the move this offseason, however.
Seattle has matched the Bobo offer sheet, ESPN’s Field Yates reports. The restricted free agent inked a two-year deal with the Jags as part of their efforts to acquire him. The contract included $4.5MM guaranteed, a figure Bobo will now collect without changing teams. This agreement also includes a $1.75MM signing bonus and a maximum value of $7MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
The offer’s base value checks in at two years and $5.5MM, according to Spotrac. Of that amount, $3.25MM is due in Year 1. Teams regularly frontload offer sheets to make them more difficult to match, but this low-cost figure did not prove to deter the defending Super Bowl champions. The offer sheet will allow the Seahawks to drop Bobo’s cap number from $3.52MM to $1.22MM, per Spotrac.
Bobo has been a regular presence with Seattle over his three years in the NFL. The former undrafted free agent played 17 games in 2023 and ’24 before adding another 11 appearances this past campaign. Bobo has only registered three starts to date while operating as a depth presence on offense; that will be expected to continue moving forward. He will instead remain focused on making special teams contributions.
This new deal will represent a raise in Bobo’s case while ensuring stability beyond 2026 along the way. The UCLA product was tendered at a rate of $3.52MM in a move which allowed Seattle to match an outside offer sheets. With a two-year contract in place, though, team and player can move forward without uncertainty regarding his Seattle future for next spring.
Brian Thomas Jr, Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington remain atop the Jags’ receiver depth chart at this point. They also have Travis Hunter in line to handle a part-time workload on offense in 2026. Bobo was set to occupy a depth role in Jacksonville after the team lost Dyami Brown in free agency. Tim Patrick and Josh Cephus remain unsigned at this time, so a different WR may now be targeted.
Bobo will remain in place on a Seattle team which has Jaxon Smith-Njigba attached to a massive extension worked out earlier today. The Super Bowl champions also managed to retain Rashid Shaheed, and expectations will be high in his case after he made a strong impact upon arrival at the trade deadline. Those two, coupled with Cooper Kupp, will lead the way regarding the Seahawks’ passing game. Bobo will look to chip in while handling third phase duties.
WR D.J. Chark Announces Retirement
After spending the entire 2025 NFL season as a free agent, veteran wide receiver D.J. Chark Jr. has opted to hang up his cleats for good. Chark took to Instagram today to “share a proper farewell as (he navigates) retirement.” 
A three-star prospect out of Alexandria HS (LA), Chark opted to commit to nearby LSU — a short, two-hour drive away — after receiving interest from Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and Tulane. Through his first two years in Baton Rouge, Chark saw barely any playing time but appeared in too many games to redshirt either season. He found a role in the offense as a junior and led the Tigers in receptions (40), receiving yards (874), and receiving touchdowns (3) as a senior.
With lackluster numbers failing to establish a high draft stock, Chark took part in the 2018 Reese’s Senior Bowl and led all receivers in the game with five catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. His strong Senior Bowl, combined with a stellar performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, raised Chark’s draft stock to the point he was bordering the first round.
Ultimately, Chark was drafted by the Jaguars near the end of the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He joined a young group of receivers catching balls from Blake Bortles in his final year as the quarterback in Jacksonville, but Chark didn’t see much action through 10 games before sitting for five of the final six of the season. In Year 2, Chark established himself as a leader in the Jaguars receiving corps. Catching balls from rookie starter Gardner Minshew, Chark led the team’s receivers in receptions (73), receiving yards (1,008), and receiving touchdowns (8), earning Pro Bowl honors for the first and only time of his career.
Things in Duval evened out a bit in 2020. Minshew (and two backups who combined for eight starts) peppered targets across a trio of Chark (53 receptions-706 receiving yards-5 touchdowns), Keelan Cole (55-642-5), and Laviska Shenault (58-600-5). Chark’s final season in Jacksonville was limited to four games after he suffered a fractured ankle and spent the rest of the year on injured reserve.
In the years that followed, Chark struggled to find the same highs and success that he enjoyed in Jacksonville, most notably in that Pro Bowl sophomore campaign. He landed a one-year, $10MM contract with the Lions in free agency, but after only logging 30 catches for 502 yards and three touchdowns as ankle injuries plagued him, his one-year deal with the Panthers the next year was worth only half as much. Chark showed one more solid campaign in Carolina, with 35 receptions, 525 receiving yards, and five touchdowns, before a hip injury would limit Chark’s time with the Chargers in 2024 to seven games, four receptions, 31 yards, and a single touchdown.
After a bid for another one-year stint with a fifth new team in as many years fell short at the roster cut deadline, Chark didn’t find any other opportunities in the NFL this year. As he prepares for the future, Chark pledged his commitment “to being an active pillar in (his) community, empowering the youth through charitable work.”