Inside the Article:
When DJ Chark signed a 1-year, $10 million deal with the Detroit Lions following the 2021 season, he actually turned down multiple long-term contracts to do so. “I had a few who wanted to do long-term deals, but it wasn’t the right fit,” Chark said. “This was the right fit. I’m happy about my decision.” During his first season in Detroit, Chark was able to get a chance to work with Dan Campbell and the team's coaching staff, and he believes they are the real deal.
DJ Chark raves about Detroit Lions coaching staff
Chark recently joined Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother Equanimeous on their podcast for The 33rd Team, and he spoke very fondly about Detroit's coaching staff.
“One thing I can say about the coaches in Detroit, they really—they know your kid’s names and they’re really into like who you are as a person,” Chark said. “Whereas that’s not always the case. A lot of different personalities that mesh well.”
He then explained how Detroit's coaches put the players in a position to succeed.
“The coaches, they allowed us to do what we do best. They try to put us in positions to do what you do,” Chark said, later adding:
“Because you get in offenses where they kind of force one person to do it all. Like, ‘I’m going to force you to do all the crossing routes and the quick routes, and I’m going to make you run the go-balls.’ Sometimes you get a player that can do all those things like (Justin Jefferson) in Minnesota. He can do all the things, but it catches a defense off guard when all these people are good at different things, so we’re going to use it all.”
DJ Chark by the Numbers
Chark got off to a slow start during the 2022 season, and he had to deal with some injuries, which held him out of multiple games, but by the end of the season, he really started to mesh with QB Jared Goff.
- 11 games played
- 30 receptions
- 502 yards
- 16.7 yards per reception
- 3 touchdowns
The Big Picture: DJ Chark's Future in Detroit and the Wide Receiver Market
Chark has made it pretty clear that he would prefer to stick around in the Motor City, but he also knows that the NFL is a business. Since the wide receiver market is a bit thin this year when it comes to free agency, chances are that he will get some offers that are better than what Detroit is willing to offer. It will be interesting to see if he is willing to take a little less to continue playing for Dan Campbell and company. Click here to read about what we believe Chark's next contract will be.
