Panthers Sign WR DJ Chark

The Panthers still had a need at receiver, even after agreeing to terms with veteran Adam Thielen.

On Friday, they discovered some support for him.

The team reached an agreement with unrestricted wide receiver DJ Chark, giving them a sizeable outside target just when they needed one.

With 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019, the former second-round pick of the Jaguars put up impressive stats.

Despite only appearing in 54 games over the course of the last five seasons due to injuries, the 26-year-old was effective with the Lions last season, hauling in 30 passes for 502 yards (16.7 per reception) and three touchdowns in 11 games.

In a December game between the Lions and the Panthers, he had four receptions for 108 yards, although that was just his second-best performance against his new team. He recorded eight receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the Jaguars' 34-27 loss at Bank of America Stadium in 2019 while he was still a member of the team.

The 6-foot-4, 198-pound Chark attended LSU right before his new teammate Terrace Marshall Jr. moved there. He grew raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. (though he was there with Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson).

It's a big addition for the franchise that traded DJ Moore to Chicago for the No. 1 overall pick because they didn't have any reliable receiving options for the quarterback they're about to select.

In the first week of free agency, the Panthers signed backup quarterback Andy Dalton and added running back Miles Sanders and tight end Hayden Hurst to their roster. It's a big lift for one of the players they're out on the road getting to know, especially since they kept free agent center Bradley Bozeman to keep the offensive line together and have a very experienced offensive coaching staff.