The Detroit Lions are focused on getting better with each and every practice. Meanwhile, there are several players looking to latch on to a new spot, and former Lions WR Quintez Cephus signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.
Going into the weekend, another ex-Lions WR landed a job. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, WR DJ Chark agreed to join the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal this past Friday.
Former Lions WR DJ Chark Is Signing With the Atlanta Falcons
Veteran FA WR DJ Chark, who spent last year with the #Chargers, is signing with the #Falcons, per me and @MikeGarafolo. He gets a 1-year deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2025
The former #Jaguars, #Panthers and #Chargers veteran lands in ATL after several visits. pic.twitter.com/wGKFmJSbGW
Chark played for the Lions during the 2022 season after spending the first four years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and was an effective playmaker for the offense. In 11 games (10 starts), he finished with 30 receptions (52 targets) for 502 receiving yards, three touchdowns, and 16.7 yards per catch.
After departing from the Motor City, Chark spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and 2024, but last season was a drop in production.
During his stint with the Chargers, he landed on injured reserve with a hip injury, but even when he returned, Chark didn't produce. In seven games with the Bolts, he had career lows in catches (4) and receiving yards (31) with one touchdown.
He was sitting on the open market for a while now and found a chance to redeem himself for the 2025 season. Atlanta's top three WRs are Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud, but Mooney is set to miss multiple weeks due to a shoulder injury.
With more reps opening up, Chark is someone who could take advantage and lock down his spot on the 53-man roster. In his seven-year career (76 games), he has notched 216 catches for 3,100 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns.
Chark's biggest advantage is his size (6-foot-3) and deep speed (14.4 yards per reception in his career). The depth in the Falcons' WR room isn't anything dynamic. KhaDarel Hodge, Jamal Agnew, Jesse Matthews, Chris Blair, David Sills V, Casey Washington, Dylan Drummond, and Nick Nash are all fighting for a roster spot, but with Chark being signed, it shows the team believes they could improve in that area. And the veteran has a serious shot to make the team.
The LSU product dealt with limited production and injuries last season but looks ready to rebound in 2025 and hopes to do so with the Falcons.
The Lions closed their chapter with Chark in 2022, but he's still hanging around the league.