Feeling like he was pigeonholed by the Jaguars, DJ Chark is looking forward to evolving as a receiver with the Lions.
Upon signing with the Detroit Lions in March, DJ Chark noted a difference in culture from last season that he noticed from afar and led to him turning down what he said were multi-year offers to sign a one-year deal with Detroit.
Chark is a rare combination of size (6-foot-4) and speed (4.34 40-yard dash), which makes him an ideal vertical threat and a virtual poster boy for what the Lions sought in an “X” receiver this offseason. But he believes he has more to offer, and is looking forward to the possibilities.
DJ Chark ready to fully evolve as a receiver with the Detroit Lions
Via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News:
A lot of times in offenses, I would be used to be the guy to open up the field for others, but it would be cool to open up the field for others and they do the same (for me),” Chark said.
A lot of times (in Jacksonville) it was routes where it was more possession-type, which I don’t have a problem with, but I enjoy having the ball in my hand and being able to run, make moves, show toughness, things like that,” Chark said Wednesday after one of the team’s early OTA sessions. “Being able to do that, as well, in addition to what I’ve already been doing would be pretty fun.”
Chark added that he has been working from different alignments in early OTA sessions, and running a full route tree from those different spots. After missing all but four games last season with the Jaguars due to a fractured ankle, he is a full participant in these early voluntary workouts for the Lions.
Chark has a 73-catch,1,000-yard season on his resume, which feels longer ago than 2019. It seems he’ll be allowed to do more than he was allowed to in Jacksonville, leaving aside all the lack of continuity he had there, so he’s eyeing better things as he’s allowed to full evolve as a receiver in Detroit.