After the deals which have taken place so far among free-agent wideouts, DJ Chark may very well be the top option still available at the position. He will visit the Panthers on Friday, as first reported by Jordan Schultz of The Score.
Chark went through free agency for the first time in his career last offseason, after his rookie contract with the Jaguars expired. He inked a one-year, $10M deal with the Lions aiming to give Detroit a boost in the passing game and allowing the 26-year-old to prove his abilities when healthy. He was limited to just 11 games this season, but his production was still noteworthy.
The former second-rounder recorded 502 yards and three touchdowns on 30 receptions in his debut Lions campaign. That yielded a yards-per-catch average of 16.7, the second-highest total of his career. Having reaffirmed his status as one of the league’s top deep threats, Chark figures to have a notable market for his services this offseason. The Lions are interested in a deal that would keep him in the Motor City, but outside offers are likely as well.
The Panthers have a need at the position after they included D.J. Moore in the trade package sent to the Bears for the top pick in this year’s draft. Replacing Moore’s production will likely involve multiple additions out wide after the former first-rounder comfortably outpaced the rest of the team’s contributions in the passing game. As a team, Carolina ranked 29th in the league with an average of 176 passing yards per game in 2022.
The new quarterback the Panthers will draft next month will go a long way in determining the team’s ability to improve in that regard in 2023. To little surprise, though, they have already hosted fellow veteran free agent Adam Thielen as part of their search for additions in their receiver room. Chark will be the next member of that process, as he searches for his best fit on what will be his third NFL contract.
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