Chargers should probably give DJ Chark a chance now

Chris Roling | 3 Hours Ago

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers don’t sound like a team about to give up on former first-round pick Quentin Johnston just yet.

But maybe it’s time to get DJ Chark in the mix.

Johnston is coming off a horrific two-game stretch that saw him revert back to his rookie struggles with drops. He had zero catches on five targets during the Week 12 loss to Baltimore, including multiple drops in key scenarios. The week prior, he had two catches on eight targets, although one of those went for a touchdown.

Chark, meanwhile, has been one of the biggest mysteries on the team this year.

Added via free agency this past offseason after the Chargers lost Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Chark was supposed to be the defensive-stretching threat to help rookie Ladd McConkey and others.

Instead, he battled an injury over the summer, then the team used almost all of his 21-day activation window. Once finally activated, he missed another game instead, then played one snap, and finally, was a healthy scratch.

Got all that?

Maybe things are just bad with Chark. But it’s hard to imagine he can’t add something to the offense. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh previously hinted he’s out of the rotation because guys like Jalen Reagor have done so well.

But with every game a must-win fight for playoff seeding for the remainder of the season, Chark might have the juice to at least better space the offense. Plus, opponents haven’t seen him on film within said offense yet.

With wideout an obvious top need for the Chargers going into the offseason, which could mean potentially replacing Johnston already, what does the team have to lose by giving Chark a shot?

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