DJ Chark injury update: Latest news on Los Angeles Chargers WR before Week 7

Chris Roling | Oct 17, 2024

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There is finally some movement on a DJ Chark return for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Ahead of the team’s Week 7 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed that Chark’s 21-day window to return from injured reserve would be opened. 

That's an important first step that puts an actual timer on Chark’s return to the field for Justin Herbert’s offense, which desperately needs his ability to get vertical to open up defenses. 

Chark spoke with ESPN’s Kris Rhim after practicing on Wednesday: “I ran some good routes, made some plays.  Obviously from a technique standpoint, I feel like I'm a little rusty, but I think I can be able to work on that over the course of the next few days.”

A week ago, for comparison, Harbaugh had only told reporters that Chark was “getting close.” 

Chark originally found himself on injured reserve last month after suffering a hip injury. Since, only rookie wideout Ladd McConkey has stepped up, going so far as to emerge as Herbert’s favorite target and the team’s leading receiver. 

Fellow wideout Quentin Johnston suffered an ankle injury during last week’s win over the Denver Broncos and is a name to watch this week, too. McConkey suffered a head injury in that same game, though later returned. 

Depending on how things go this week, Chark could find himself activated to the 53-man roster for next Monday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, just in time to help an injured position and the offense take the next step through the air. 

Update: Chark popped up on the Thursday injury report with a new injury, not the hip that put him on injured reserve in the first place.

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