sports

Chargers agree to deal with receiver DJ Chark Jr., source says


LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. on Thursday, a source confirmed to ESPN.

NFL Network was first to report the news.

Chark, who has played six seasons in the NFL, brings the most experience to an unproven Chargers receiving room. The Chargers have no receiver with more than three years in the NFL, and none of whom has had a season with over 800 yards.

Chark, 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, played for the Carolina Panthers last season, where he had 35 catches for 525 yards and five touchdowns.

Chark’s best season came when he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, where he had 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns, all career highs that earned him his first and only Pro Bowl selection.

The Chargers will hope that Chark can regain that form in L.A. after the Chargers traded wide receiver Keenan Allen, released wide receiver Mike Williams and let tight end Gerald Everett and running back Austin Ekeler leave in free agency. Those players made up 57% of quarterback Justin Herbert’s completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns since he entered the NFL in 2020.

Injuries have hindered Chark recently; in the past five seasons, he’s played only 54 of a possible 82 games. A second-round pick by the Jaguars in 2018, Chark, 27, has 212 receptions for 3,069 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career.

He’ll be reunited with tight end Hayden Hurst and center Bradley Bozeman in L.A. Both played with him in Carolina last season.

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