When the Detroit Lions made a surprise play for wideout DJ Chark, the move likely came with plenty of confusion and surprise from the fanbase, but it was a move that was a long time coming for the team.
General manager Brad Holmes confirmed that the Lions were in on Chark from the beginning and wanted to lock down the receiver before the free agency process got too advanced. When they were able to do that, the team was thrilled given Chark was a guy they coveted.
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Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Holmes discussed the move to add Chark in free agency and admitted that the team was on the same page about wanting him to come into the mix. The reason? He fit the team top to bottom in plenty of ways.
“There’s certain favorites that just emerge through that process and DJ was one of them”
“DJ, we go through the process, I’ve said before, there’s just so many guys you’re looking at. A lot of these guys that got big deals you’re looking at. There’s certain favorites that emerge through the process. DJ was one of them. He just fit what we are about. We have a lot of collaboration sessions, coaching and personnel getting on the same page. To hear (Antwaan) Randel-El and Ben Johnson talk about what they’re looking at for the wideout position. DJ fit a lot of those qualities about having speed, explosiveness, length. He’s just a football player,” Holmes said.
Chark will give the Lions a big body that can make plays, but the best news is he seems to be a culture fir for the Lions in terms of the whole picture.
Chark’s Stats & Highlights
It’s easy to like Chark, a former Pro Bowl player. It seems the Lions have managed to find a player who has a big body that can make catches in traffic which could help their offense as a whole. Chark is that guy, and has been for some time in Jacksonville. He could be earning himself a nice pay bump as a result. Chark came into the league in 2018 as a second-round pick out of LSU and was a 2019 Pro Bowl player. Statistically, he’s been solid as well with 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns thus far in his career. Here’s a look at some of his best plays so far:
The Lions need a player who can make a big catch in the red zone or down the field in a contested manner. Chark is their guy to do just that and more. Giving him a nice payday could help the team take off offensively during the 2022 season. The hope is he can manage to bounce back and look healthy off his injury, and that is what the Lions are betting on.
If it plays out that way, the Lions could certainly look like a much better team in 2022 and might even be able to surprise some folks.
Holmes Continues to Stick to Approach Within NFL Free Agency
The Lions haven’t made huge moves in free agency the last few years under Holmes, but that doesn’t seem to matter to their new general manager. The team seems to have a method they are sticking to in a big way, and it revolves around finding the type of player and contract fits that are ideal. With Chark, the Lions found a guy they loved and have gone all-in on him for the future. That speaks to the team’s plan, as well as the fact that the team isn’t going to let public sentiment drive what they do or change what decisions they make.
Give the Lions staff credit for hopping in on Chark early and often and making sure they could lock him down. He represents a perfect fit for the Lions, and that’s a move that could pay off quickly for the team when all is said and done this season.
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