D.j. Chark Jr.

Falcons Sign QB Ben DiNucci

August 18th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Adam La Rose

Ben DiNucci‘s next NFL opportunity has arrived. The journeyman quarterback announced on Monday that he has signed with the Falcons.

DiNucci’s deal should set him up to see playing time in the Falcons’ preseason finale. Neither starter Michael Penix Jr. nor backup Kirk Cousins will suit up for the game, and head coach Raheem Morris confirmed (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Emory Jones is in concussion protocol.

That will presumably allow for DiNucci, 28, to receive a look during practices over the next few days in addition to Friday’s contest in Dallas. Taking part in the game would allow him to compete against his former team. DiNucci entered the NFL in 2020 as a Cowboys draftee. The former seventh-rounder made three appearances, including one start, during his rookie campaign.

Since then, DiNucci has not seen any regular season game action in the NFL. The Pitt and James Madison product spent time with the Broncos and Bills before signing a futures contract with the Saints this offseason. Once New Orleans took the expected route of adding another signal-caller via the draft, though, the team moved on from DiNucci. This Falcons pact will provide him with the opportunity to compete for third-string spot alongside Easton Stick.

In the wake of Jones’ concussion, he has been waived with an injury designation. Provided the former UDFA clears waivers, he will revert to injured reserve. The Falcons also announced that wideout DJ Chark – signed late last month – has been released. He will now aim to catch onto a roster elsewhere with the deadline for final cuts approaching.

Falcons To Sign WR DJ Chark

July 25th, 2025 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

DJ Chark followed his Bears visit with a Falcons meeting, and the latter summit will produce a deal. Chark is signing with the Falcons, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

After playing the 2024 season with the Chargers, the well-traveled wide receiver will join the Falcons on a one-year deal. Chark trekked to Atlanta for a meeting today, Garafolo notes. This will be the former second-round pick’s fifth team in five years, as the Falcons follow the Jaguars, Lions, Panthers and Chargers on this journeyman path.

Chark, 28, will join a receiving corps housing Drake London and Darnell Mooney. The LSU product had met with his former coach, Ben Johnson, about a Bears meeting. Johnson coached Chark during his 2022 Lions one-off, but the sides did not strike a deal. The Falcons will take a flier here, as Chark is coming off a down Chargers season. He posted just four receptions for 31 yards in a seven-game cameo for Jim Harbaugh‘s team.

Suffering a hip injury that keyed an IR stint, Chark did not debut with the Bolts until Week 9. He cleared the 10-snap barrier on offense in just four games last year. That said, Chark has been a productive player at other stops. His Lions and Panthers seasons, respectively, brought 500-plus-yard showings as a complementary target. Chark totaled 502 yards (16.7 per catch) and three touchdown receptions with Detroit and posted a 525/5 line (15.0 YPC) for a dreadful 2023 Panthers team.

Carrying a resume that includes a 1,000-yard 2019 season, Chark had been a noteworthy deep option prior to 2024. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound player had seen his pay rate decrease steadily, going from $10MM (Lions) to $5MM (Panthers) to $3MM (Bolts). After essentially a throwaway L.A. season, Chark should not see too much from the Falcons. But he could step in as a WR3 upgrade in what could be yet another temp job.

The Falcons signed Mooney for his long-range prowess, and he delivered a 992-yard season (15.5 YPC) last year. Held back by previous Falcons QB issues, London boomed to a career-high 1,271 yards and nine touchdown catches. The Falcons have slot/gadget cog Ray-Ray McCloud rostered, along with special-teamer Jamal Agnew and backup KhaDarel Hodge. Chark brings a pedigree this trio lacks and will be a prime candidate for a key auxiliary role should he stay healthy.

Bears Host DJ Chark; WR’s Playing Future Uncertain

July 24th, 2025 at 2:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Chargers Activate DJ Chark From IR

November 2nd, 2024 at 4:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers have activated DJ Chark from injured reserve, setting up the veteran wide receiver to make his season debut against the Browns on Sunday.

The Chargers signed Chark to a one-year, $3MM contract in the offseason as they rebuilt their offense after new head coach Jim Harbaugh hired ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman for the same job in Los Angeles.

Chark injured his hip before the start of the regular season, forcing him on IR on September 7. The Chargers turned to rookie Ladd McConkey and Josh Palmer as their starting receivers in their first seven games, but their passing offense still ranks close to the bottom of the league.

Chark may not provide a major boost to the Chargers offense, but he is still coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 500 receiving yards and has a stronger veteran pedigree than any other wideout on the roster. Rather than stepping into a starting role right away, Chark is more likely to be used in a rotational capacity behind McConkey, Palmer, and 2023 first-rounder Quentin Johnston.

The Chargers also used standard practice squad elevations on cornerback Eli Apple and wide receiver Jalen Reagor ahead of Sunday’s game. Both players are former first-round picks who joined Los Angeles’ practice squad earlier this season.

Chargers WR DJ Chark Returns To Practice

October 16th, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers could soon add some veteran talent to the WR depth chart. Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports that DJ Chark returned to practice today, meaning the team opened the wideout’s 21-day activation window.

Chark caught on with the Chargers this offseason and was expected to help soak up the snaps left by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, the veteran suffered a hip injury prior to Week 1 that ultimately landed him on injured reserve. Chark required more than a minimum stay on IR, but it sounds like he’s now zeroing in on a return to the field.

The former second-round pick had a breakout sophomore campaign with the Jaguars, hauling in 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to stay completely healthy in his two follow-up seasons, including a 2021 campaign where he was limited to four games thanks to an ankle injury.

Chark has bounced around the NFL in recent seasons. He spent the 2022 season with the Lions, where he collected 502 receiving yards in 11 games. He managed to get into 15 games with the Panthers in 2023, but he was limited to only 35 receiving yards per game, his lowest average since his rookie year.

In Los Angeles, Chark was initially expected to start alongside Josh Palmer in Jim Harbaugh‘s new-look offense. With the veteran out of the lineup, rookie second-round pick Ladd McConkey and 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston have stepped up, with the young duo leading the Chargers in targets. Chark may have an uphill battle to break the starting lineup, but he could slide in ahead of the likes of Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko, and rookie Brenden Rice.

Chargers Place WR DJ Chark On IR

September 7th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ new-look receiving corps will not have DJ Chark available at the start of the season. The veteran was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

A hip injury kept Chark out of practice during the week, and he will now be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. The 27-year-old took a one-year deal in free agency to come to Los Angeles, continuing his journey around the NFL after the end of his Jaguars rookie contract. Chark had one-year stints with the Lions and Panthers prior to joining the Bolts this spring.

Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were staples of the Chargers’ passing attack for years, including all four seasons in which quarterback Justin Herbert has been in place. Allen was traded to the Bears and Williams was released, however. Both veterans had one year remaining on their respective contracts, but many cap-related moves were made by new general manager Joe Hortiz in the offseason. An offer to keep Allen in the fold at a reduced rate was rejected, while Williams was let go after an ACL tear caused him to miss most of last year.

Los Angeles has Josh Palmer in place as a receiver holdover, and the 24-year-old Canadian is in line for a notable role as he approaches free agency. The Chargers’ top pick in last year’s draft – Quentin Johnston – will be expected to take a step forward after an underwhelming rookie campaign. Hortiz and new head coach Jim Harbaugh added three wideouts in the draft, including second-rounder Ladd McConkey. Chark was set to play at least a rotational role amidst that trio on his latest team, but his Chargers debut will be delayed.

A Pro Bowler in 2019, the LSU alum saw a downturn in production the following year and was limited to just four games in his final Jacksonville campaign. Chark also missed multiple games in Detroit and Carolina, but his production remained consistent with 1,027 yards and eight touchdowns across that span. With a career yards per catch average of 14.5, he will remain a vertical threat once healthy. For now, though, the Chargers’ pass-catching corps will be shorthanded.

Chargers Sign WR DJ Chark

May 2nd, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Ben Levine

DJ Chark is catching on with his fourth team in four years. The free agent wideout has agreed to a deal with the Chargers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Chark will be signing a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, per Rapoport. The veteran wide receiver visited the organization prior to the draft.

The former second-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jaguars, including a 2019 campaign where he compiled 1,008 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He couldn’t put up the same volume in 2020, and he hit free agency following an injury-riddled 2021 campaign.

Still, Chark managed to garner a $10MM contract from the Lions that offseason, and he bounced back with 30 catches for 502 yards in 2022. He got a one-year, $5MM deal with the Panthers last offseason and put up similar numbers, finishing with 35 catches for 525 yards and five scores.

After moving on from both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, the Chargers have been connected to several of the remaining veteran WRs on the market. In addition to Chark, the team also expressed interest in Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Considering the team’s depth chart, this latest move shouldn’t take them out of the running for further reinforcement.

The team’s current receivers room is led by 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, and the team is still rostering Josh Palmer. The organization recently used a second-round pick on Ladd McConkey, and they also added rookies Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson in the seventh round (along with three UDFAs at the position). That makes Los Angeles a solid landing spot for Chark, who could improve his market value receiving passes from Justin Herbert. The free agent acquisition should also have a bit of a head start with the offense, as he played under current Chargers WRs coach (and former Jaguars WRs coach) Sanjay Lal when the two were in Jacksonville.

Chargers Host WR DJ Chark

April 19th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers could be positioned to add one of the top receiver prospects in next week’s draft, especially if they elect to retain the No. 5 pick. While a decision on that front is yet to be made, veteran options are also being considered.

Los Angeles hosted DJ Chark on a free agent visit yesterday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Chark is one of several veteran wideouts still on the market, and that will likely remain the case until after the draft. The former Jaguars Pro Bowler is coming off his second consecutive one-year tenure, having spent the 2023 season in Carolina.

Chark joined the Panthers on a $5MM deal last offseason, aiming to give the team a deep threat following his Lions stint. While ankle surgery aimed at preventing a repeat of the lingering ankle and foot issues he has dealt with did not produce a full campaign last year, Chark did manage to play 15 games with Carolina. He posted 525 receiving yards – the third-highest total of his career – and five touchdowns. The 27-year-old remained a field-stretching option, averaging 15 yards per reception.

The Chargers have also been linked to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, another veteran wideout known to be able to operate as a vertical option in the passing game. Los Angeles has a need at the WR spot with Mike Williams having been released and Keenan Allen being traded. Both Chark and Valdes-Scantling have experience as a starter which could help the team transition to the likes of Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer in a larger role moving forward.

The latter two are in place as key figures in the Chargers’ passing game as things stand. Johnston had an underwhelming rookie campaign after being selected in the first round last year, though, and Palmer is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Another Day 1 investment at the receiver position would thus come as little surprise, but any rookies added in the near future could be accompanied by Chark or Valdes-Scantling next season.

WR Notes: Watson, Metchie, Chark, McLaurin, Smith-Njigba

September 8th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Jordan Love‘s tenure as the Packers‘ full-time starting quarterback will have a bit of a hurdle to navigate this week. In his first start since November 2021, Love will be without the team’s top returning receiver Christian Watson, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Watson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could potentially lead to an extended absence. Head coach Matt LaFleur claimed that he doesn’t think Watson will reach a three- or four-week absence but classified the second-year wideout as week-to-week.

The top target in Watson’s absence, fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs, is also dealing with a hamstring injury but is only listed as questionable heading into the weekend. Rookie wideout Dontayvion Wicks is the third such receiver on the team dealing with a hamstring injury, but he managed to avoid the injury report altogether. Star tackle David Bakhtiari is also available after staying off the injury report.

Here are a few more reports on wide receiver injuries from around the league heading into Week 1:

The world will have to continue to wait for the NFL debut of Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Despite making a recovery from both a torn ACL and leukemia, Metchie is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Houston is being patient, taking a “big-picture approach” to Metchie’s return. The team will be without safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Blake Cashman for Week 1, as well.
The Panthers are slowly working their way back to full health in their receiving corps, according to Panthers writer Augusta Stone. Back ups Terrace Marshall and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are now fully participating in practice after recent injury trouble. Starters Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark Jr. both returned to practice today in a limited capacity. While Thielen was listed as questionable and could still play, Chark has been ruled out for the team’s season opener.
The Commanders drew lots of criticism when leading receiver Terry McLaurin sustained an injury as the team played its starters fairly deep into a preseason game in an effort to end the Ravens’ preseason win streak. They’ll dodge a bullet, though, as McLaurin will be active this week after making good progress from his turf toe injury, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. He’s had a couple of full participation practices and should be good to go for Week 1. Defensive end Chase Young has been listed as questionable, though. Head coach Ron Rivera claimed that “if (Young’s) cleared, he’ll go.”
Despite undergoing wrist surgery just two and a half weeks ago, Seahawks rookie first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to play in the team’s season opener against the Rams this Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Head coach Pete Carroll, who was optimistic on the recovery timeline, confirmed as much this week.

Panthers WR DJ Chark Undergoes Ankle Surgery

April 22nd, 2023 at 6:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

DJ Chark was one of two notable receiver additions made by the Panthers this offseason. He comes to Carolina with injury concerns from his previous stops, but a step aimed at ending them has been taken.

Chark recently underwent ankle surgery, as confirmed by head coach Frank Reich (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Joe Person). The new Panthers coach added that Chark could be available to take part in at least some of the team’s OTAs later this offseason. The procedure, if successful, could help the latter move on from the lingering foot and ankle issues he has dealt with in his career.

The 26-year-old did not play a full regular season campaign during his four years in Jacksonville or his one-year stint in Detroit. Chark’s time with the Lions only lasted 11 games, but he averaged 16.7 yards per catch in 2022, demonstrating his continued ability to stretch the field. His production led to a one-year Panthers contract featuring $5MM in guaranteed money. That will give him the opportunity – along with fellow veteran Adam Thielen – to contribute in Carolina’s new-look WR room, one which no longer includes D.J. Moore.

Chark was one of the better members of this year’s weak receiver class in free agency, and he had interest from the Lions in remaining for at least one more season. Instead, he chose to come to Carolina in no small part due to the connection between himself and Duce Staley. The latter – hired by Reich with the title of running backs/assistant head coach – worked alongside Chark in Detroit last season.

“Duce was a big factor in DJ coming here,” general manager Scott Fitterer confirmed, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “He reached out to him once we hit free agency… He reached out and said, ‘Hey, listen, here’s the role, what do you want to do? I’ve been with you’… And really, he recruited him.”

Chark will have a rookie quarterback throwing to him in 2023 as part of his adjustment to a third career NFL team. His connection with Staley will give him a familiar face, however, as he looks to put together a healthy season and boost his free agent value in the process. Assuming he recovers in full from surgery, he will be well-positioned to do just that.