ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions signed wide receiver DJ Chark to a $10 million, one-year contract in a short-term investment for a former Pro Bowl player coming off an injury-shortened season.
“Being hurt last year, I’m thankful to get an opportunity,” Chark said Thursday.
A broken ankle limited Chark to four games last season in Jacksonville. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2019 after he had 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars.
Chark said a few other teams wanted to give him a long-term deal, but he chose to sign in Detroit because of the fit with a team that desperately needs a deep threat at receiver.
“If I’m the person that I came here to be, the long term will take care of itself,” he said. “No pressure.”
Jacksonville drafted Chark in the second round four years ago out of LSU and he has 147 career catches for 2,042 yards with 15 touchdowns in 43 games.
Chark said he will be healthy when the Lions need him to play.
“By the time the lights come on, I’ll be where I want to be and who I want to be,” he said.
Detroit spent some of the money on Chark that it saved by releasing outside linebacker Trey Flowers on Wednesday.
Flowers was one of the many former New England Patriots acquired by former Lions general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia that didn’t pan out. Flowers had two years left on the $90 million, five-year deal he signed with the Lions.
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