The Detroit Lions have added another weapon to a deprived offense.
¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday morning that the Lions are expected to sign free-agent wideout D.J. Chark to a one-year deal worth $10 million fully guaranteed, per a source informed of the agreement.
The one-year, prove-it deal for Chark makes sense after the wideout played in just four games in 2021 due to a fractured ankle. If he remains healthy and returns to form, the WR could cash in next offseason.
When healthy, Chark has proven he can be an explosive playmaker. At 6-foot-4, the former second-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars is a vertical threat with great hands who can separate from defensive backs and high-point the football.
Chark earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2019 when he went for a career-high 1,008 yards and eight TDs on 73 catches.
The biggest concern with the LSU product has been injuries. He's missed 16 regular-season games the past two years combined.
For Lions general manager Brad Holmes, this is precisely the type of deal that fits Detroit's timeline. A flier on a wideout with significant upside on a short-term deal gives the Lions a big boost on offense without tying the purse strings moving forward.
Chark pairs nicely with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who exploded down the stretch of his rookie season and can rove the middle while Chark threatens deep. In an offense desperately in need of weapons, Chark lands in a spot where he should see a ton of targets in his prove-it campaign.
The addition of Chark on a short deal also does nothing to hinder the Lions from selecting a receiver early in the 2022 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøDraft.
On the other side of the ball, Detroit is slated to re-sign pass rusher Charles Harris to a two-year, $14 million deal, Rapoport added.
Harris, 27, started 14 of 17 games played for the Lions in 2021, logging a career-high 7.5 sacks and 65 tackles. The former Miami Dolphins first-round pick will hope to replicate that production on the edge for Detroit over the next two seasons.
