The Detroit Lions offered some promising news in declaring top WR Amon-Ra St. Brown as questionable for Sunday’s road game in New England. But the Lions will be without running mate DJ Chark, one of six players declared out in the Friday injury report.
Chark is dealing with an ankle injury that has limited him in practices and blunted his production. It’s the second week in a row Chark will miss after catching seven passes and one touchdown in the first three weeks. He missed 13 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season after injuring his ankle.
Chark told reporters this week that while it is the same ankle as last year, it’s not a serious reinjury situation.
“It’s nothing structural,” Chark said. When asked why he was being held out of Sunday’s game in New England, Chark described it as “more of a feel”.
It’s a smart time to be cautious with Chark, who has not quite clicked with Jared Goff in the Lions offense just yet. The Lions have a bye following Week 5, and resting him for the Patriots game allows another 10 extra days of rest on the injured ankle. That should be critical to get Chark back up to full speed after the bye.