Lions wide receiver DJ Chark seems headed for a third straight missed game due to an ankle injury, and his comment Thursday came off as pretty grim.
DJ Chark was what passed for a marquee free agent signing for the Detroit Lions last offseason, in that he is a recognizable name with a 1,000-yard Pro Bowl season on his resume.
Chark had a touchdown in Week 1 against the Eagles, but he followed that with a zero-catch game in Week 2 and after starting well (back-to-back catches totaling 40 yards on the first drive) against the Vikings in Week 3 he wound finishing with three catches for 46 yards.
Chark missed Week 4 and Week 5 with an injury to the same ankle he had surgery on last year with the Jaguars. The bye week would have seemed helpful to his recovery, but missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday have him on track to miss another game Sunday against the Cowboys.
DJ Chark has seemingly very grim comment about his ankle injury
Chark was spotted wearing a walking boot in the locker room on Thursday, which is automatically noticeable and a potential red flag. He suggested the boot makes it look worse and it’s more of a comfort thing than anything, but one particular comment from him was strikingly grim.
Via Kyle Meinke of MLive.
"I’m not really too comfortable speaking too deep into the detail of (the injury), just because I’m trying to figure out everything myself,” “But I definitely will be back this year for sure. Like I said, sooner rather than later. I don’t want to put one or two games on it, but my goal is to be back.”"
Chark pointed to likely missing a couple more games, which isn’t ideal but it is what it is. But he also felt he needed to vow he would play again this season, as if his injury might cost him the rest of the season. There are 12 games left on the Lions’ schedule. A stint on short-term IR seems possible, at minimum.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson put it kindly on Thursday when he said Chark’s availability “hasn’t been there for us.”
At least Chark was only signed to a one-year “prove-it” deal. Unless things take a big turn for the better, health and production-wise, all he will prove to the Lions this season is why he won’t be back in 2023.