Sep 20, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver D.J. Chark (17) before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Former Jaguars Pro Bowler Signed By Falcons

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 5:09 PM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars have seen a lot of talented wide receivers come through their building over the years; this includes former Pro Bowler D.J. Chark Jr., who had a 1,000-yard year for the franchise in 2019.

Chark has bounced around the NFL a bit since leaving the franchise via free agency in 2022, and he has now found his next stop.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Chark is now heading to the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal. This comes after he previously made stops with the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Chargers since departing from the Jaguars, who drafted him in the second-round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Playing in 43 games for the Jaguars over four seasons, Chark has caught 147 passes for 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns since being drafted, leading the Jaguars in each category.

After a limited rookie year where Chark caught 14 passes for 174 yards in 11 games, Chark exploded in year two and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl with a 73-catch, 1,008-yard season where he caught eight touchdowns and established himself as a potential top-tier deep threat in the NFL.

Chark's production went backward in 2020 due to quarterback issues, with Chark catching 53 passes for 706 yards and five touchdowns as he caught passes from three different quarterbacks in a one-win season. Then, in 2021, Chark played just four games due to a Week 4 ankle fracture, ending the year with seven catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

"I think it’s a two-way street, right. I mean, you can want someone and they can maybe not want you, or you can’t come together on what that looks like. And I think in DJ’s case, and I’m not going to speak case by case by case, but it was just a situation where we couldn’t come together," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said following Chark's departure in 2022.

"And DJ’s a fine football player and he’s a fine person and he’s going to go to Detroit it looks like -- what’s been reported, anyway -- and he’s going to go there and hopefully have a lot of success. And we’ve moved on as well.”