The New York Jets could take a flier on a high-upside speedster.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus named Gang Green the top landing spot for Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Chark.
“Chark has struggled to consistently separate going on a few years now and had some ill-timed drops in 2023, but the idea here is New York gets a bit of a Corey Davis replacement as the contested-catch player out wide with Aaron Rodgers willing to take shots deep,” Spielberger explained.
Chark, 27, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, the former LSU product is expected to sign a one-year deal for $10.9 million. That annual salary would make him the No. 20 highest-paid wideout in football, per Over The Cap.
Chark Is Oozing With Potential
Chark is listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and he recorded a 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2018 when he came out of the draft.
In his six seasons in the NFL, Chark has recorded 212 receptions for 3,069 receiving yards and has scored 23 touchdowns. During that run, he has played for three different NFL teams and he could be set to play for his fourth in 2024.
Chark has never completed a full season since entering the league as the No. 61 overall pick in the second round in the 2018 NFL draft. What he lacks in durability Chark more than makes up for with his explosiveness.
Chark has averaged 14.5 receiving yards per reception in his career. It has been even more impressive over the last three seasons with averages of: 22.0, 16.7, and 15.0.
He might not be able to suit up for a full campaign, but Chark could provide Rodgers with a deep-threat target that can take the top off of a defense.
A New Jets Coaching Connection Certainly Doesn’t Hurt
On Tuesday, January 30 CBS NFL Insider Josina Anderson shared on X previously Twitter that the Jets were hiring Shawn Jefferson as the team’s new wide receivers coach.
Yes. Shawn Jefferson will be the #Jets new WRs coach and he starts Monday, per source. https://t.co/QcrXuGbBnX
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 31, 2024
Jefferson previously served as the Panthers wide receivers coach last season where he crossed over with Chark.
Chark might not be the only receiver who comes to the Jets because of this new coaching connection.
A fan asked me on social media if his son would follow him here to New York.
The Jets had a chance to select his son, Van Jefferson, during the 2020 NFL draft. They originally held the No. 48 overall pick in the second round but decided to trade back to the No. 59 overall pick.
That movement in the draft ended up costing them the opportunity to select Chase Claypool and Van who went between the No. 48 and No. 59 overall picks.
However the green and white will have a chance to make up for that. Jefferson is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this offseason coming off of his rookie deal.
If the Jets opted to bring Jefferson in it would only cost them $2.3 million on a one-year deal, per Spotrac’s calculated market value projections.
