One of the more disappointing developments of the 2022 season for the Lions has been the relative lack of impact from free agent wide receiver DJ Chark. Signed from Jacksonville for a one-year, $10 million contract, Chark has caught just seven of the 18 passes thrown his way in the first three games before missing the last two with an ankle injury.
That ankle will keep Chark out for at least the next month, too. Chark was placed on injured reserve on Saturday, a day before the Lions face the Cowboys in Dallas in Week 7. Being placed on IR means Chark must miss at least the next four Lions games.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, perhaps foreshadowing the move, talked about the frustration with Chark’s lack of health and impact earlier this week.
“DJ we were hoping would be a big part of our offense this year and his availability hasn’t been there for us,” Johnson said during the week. “So, it’s been disappointing from that regard. But when we do get him back, we’ll be real excited to get him back in the fold.”
Chark missed 12 games with the Jaguars in 2021 with an injury to the same ankle. Even so, he was expected to provide a big target for Jared Goff who can win down the field and outside the numbers. Chark did that effectively for Jacksonville in 2019 and 2020 before the injuries hit.
With first-round pick Jameson Williams still sidelined as he recovers from January knee surgery, the Lions are now without their top two speed weapons in Johnson’s offense. Josh Reynolds has also battled with a knee injury and is questionable for Week 7. Another wideout, Quintez Cephus, is on IR after suffering a foot injury in the loss in New England.
Presuming Reynolds plays in Dallas, the Lions will have top target Amon-Ra St. Brown, Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Tom Kennedy and freshly signed Maurice Alexander, who was inked from the practice squad to take Chark’s spot on the 53-man roster.
It makes for a Lions rendition of Poison’s classic “Every Rose Has its Thorn”. The sunshine provided by the return of CB Jerry Jacobs and DL Josh Paschal gets clouded by the disappointing Chark development.
