Getty DJ Chark gestures during Lions training camp in 2022.
This offseason, the Detroit Lions made some big moves to try and transform the look of their team. That work has led to the roster having a much different look this year.
Detroit has a team on the upswing, and the moves that Brad Holmes made could have the team in fast contention come 2022 if things go the right way. But what was the best move the team made out of all of them?
Picking such a decision for Holmes and the Lions can be difficult given the depth of all the moves, but Bleacher Report thinks they have found an answer in the form of wide receiver DJ Chark.
Recently, the site and writer Alex Ballentine took a look at naming the best move for every team this offseason. Detroit’s was revealed to be Chark, a player who was a solid addition given the price and need he filled for the team.
“The Lions snagged Chark on a team-friendly one-year, $10 million contract. Given how inflated the receiver market was this season, it’s a bargain. Chark comes with risk. He missed most of last year with a broken ankle. However, at 6’4″, 205 pounds with 4.34-second 40-yard dash speed, he has all the makings of a deep threat. When Jameson Williams (torn ACL) is healthy enough to get in on the action, Goff will have two field-stretchers and a much better shot at having a good season in 2022,” Ballentine wrote.
Chark feels like he is going to be a threat no matter what for the Lions this season, and the reasoning behind his selection in this piece makes sense. Detroit will need Chark as much as possible early in the season when looks will be at a premium for their other weapons.
If Chark is a productive player, that would be a big deal for the team’s offense and could make the Lions even more dangerous.
Chark Impressive Early within Lions Camp
The wideout has made the most of his opportunity to impress the Lions early on, and turns in big plays on the regular. Once again, Chark made one of the more impressive plays of the camp period stretching out for a catch on Saturday, August 6.
DJ Chark going all out 💯
(via @Lions) @DJChark82
It wasn’t just that play, though. Chark has made big moves during camp to impress the Lions including a diving catch on August 5 as well:
New #Lions WR DJ Chark made a ridiculous diving catch for a touchdown 🔥🔥
Add it up and it seems as if the Lions could already be set to get great results from Chark. The work he has done so far in camp has been very inspiring as it relates to a potential bounce-back year.
Chark Will Help Lions Offense
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chark put together big plays for the Lions almost instantly once the season begins and end up as the best addition the team made.
He has proven before with his work in the league that he is a player capable of going up and getting the ball vertically, which is what the Lions have missed in the offense. In 2019, Chark was a Pro Bowler, but injuries have represented a major career struggle. Last year, he was lost with an ankle injury which cost him the end of his 2021 season.
The one-year deal gives Chark a chance to prove that he can be an elite pass catcher again. If he is able to do that, there’s a great chance the Lions keep him around and reward him as they have done with others who have made waves in their Detroit careers.
Chark could become one of the better wideouts in the league in 2022, and if that happens, he could easily look like the best signing the team made.
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