The free agency period this year proved lucrative for many wide receivers. Christian Kirk signed a four-year, $72 million contract. Allen Robinson has just agreed to a three-year, $46.5 million contract with the Rams. Russell Gage made $10 million a year while playing for the Buccaneers.
Widely regarded as one of the top free agents in this year’s broad class of recipients, DJ Chark didn’t earn as well as the rest. He signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Detroit Lions with a full guarantee.
Chark met with the media on Thursday after officially signing a new contract and explained that he has longer contracts, but the Lions offered something that other teams didn’t: the right culture.
“I had a few people who wanted to do long-term deals, but that didn’t fit,” Chark said. “It was the right decision. I’m happy with my decision.”
Detroit have been focusing on culture since they were joined by general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. We’ve seen current players talk about the dramatic transition from the Matt Patricia era, and some of them have moved onto the ballpark. Despite starting the season 0-10-1, the Lions’ spirit didn’t fade and they finished the season 3-3.
Chark, who had a broken ankle at the time, took notice. His Jaguars were going through the same hardships, but the Detroit team was unrecognizable to him.
“Games looked completely different,” Chark said. “I appreciated the hustle and the tenacity and the way it was kept and went from a draw to a win and a better game. I truly appreciate how this staff has kept this team together and I believe in these guys. I know it means a lot to them and I’m ready to be a part of it. I feel like it’s definitely different from what I experienced.”
While the Lions have built a solid culture from above, the team has placed an emphasis on attracting players who fit that identity. Holmes believes that Chark carefully examines these personality limits.
“You have the players on the football team and you have the footballers and the DJ is the footballer,” Holm said. “That’s why it suits us, and most importantly, the culture suits.”
Of course, Chark also has a lot of talents. In his second NFL season, he had 1,008 receiving yards, eight touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod. Add to that, he’s 6ft 4ft with incredible speed, and he’s exactly the right fit for Detroit’s need for an outside receiver that can both stretch the field and improve their woeful offense in the red zone.
However, Chark has struggled with injuries for the last couple of years. The aforementioned ankle injury cost him 13 games last year. He missed three more in 2020 as he suffered multiple injuries, including to the chest, ribs and calf. However, going through all these hardships only strengthened his ambition to become the player he was starting to become.
“When you watch how the whole football season goes, it gives you a lot of emotions. One feeling is hunger,” Chark said. “I really, really can’t wait to get out there and be the best I can be. I’m not afraid to fail. I just want to give my best, so I’m coming here to do it. Do your best and see where the chips fall.”
Two recipients who received large fees during this period of free agency, Kirk and Zay Jones, received these contracts from Chark’s former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. And although Chark admitted that it initially put a chip on him, now his attention is completely focused on Detroit, where he already feels like a member of the family.
“I want to be among good people. These are good people. It’s nice to be wanted, I want to be where I’m wanted most in the world at the end of the day. Hats off to Jacksonville. My time there, everyone I met there and bumped into, I wish them all the best. But this is not about Jacksonville. It’s about Detroit.”