Jobless former Lions swing-and-miss may be forced into early retirement

The Detroit Lions spent the last few offseasons shaking off the ghosts of past front office mistakes. Most of those ghosts wore numbers, but a few came with price tags that never delivered. One of the more forgettable gambles was a one-year flyer on former Pro Bowl wideout D.J. Chark. It was a low-risk swing that didn’t exactly leave the infield.

Fast forward to 2025, and the Lions’ receiver room looks a whole lot better. Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the game. Jameson Williams is finally looking like a first-rounder. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa has already been turning heads this offseason. And Dominic Lovett could take advantage of Tim Patrick being vulnerable. That room is dialed in. Behind them? Veteran Kalif Raymond. Add in Sam LaPorta at tight end, and there’s no real reason to revisit the past.

Which is bad news for Chark, who finds himself without a team and openly flirting with the idea of retirement. The former Lions swing-and-miss may not get another shot—and he seems to know it.

D.J. Chark’s NFL days could be coming to an end sooner than later

Once upon a time, Chark was a 1,000-yard Pro Bowler with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That was 2019. Since then, it’s been five seasons, four different teams, and more injuries than memorable moments. His Lions stint in 2022 was fine—30 catches, 502 yards, three scores—but it came with more missed practices than highlight plays. And they let him leave the next offseason.

He found another one-year gig with Carolina the next season and made a little noise with five touchdowns, but again, it wasn’t enough to stick. Then came the Chargers. An early-season hip injury delayed his debut, but only 10 targets in seven games when healthy said it all.

Now 28, Chark is reportedly only interested in the “right situation,” one that makes sense for both football and family. He’s floated Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans as ideal fits. But even those teams are moving on. The Saints are the only semi-logical match, and that’s assuming they look his way. There are a few better options still on the market—think Keenan Allen, Tyler Boyd, Gabe Davis, and Amari Cooper. That's a tough group to beat out.

The other problem is, the receiver market passed him by. 31 wideouts got drafted in April. Most teams went young. And for a guy whose value has diminished severely due to injuries—athleticism, versatility, and speed—that's a brutal spot to be in.

So here we are. D.J. Chark, the once-exciting field-stretcher, might be out of the league before he turns 30. It’s not the ending he envisioned, but every NFL career comes with an expiration date—his just might be booked a little earlier than expected.

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