Lions News

[Futureshock]

Marty Mornhinweg: How Lions Can Become Super Bowl Contenders in 2023

[Futureshock]

There's been some chatter about Jalen Ramsey, (and F you Parsons - Cowboys star Micah Parsons takes a cheap shot at Detroit) but I don't think he is their "type" of guy. Extremely talented, but you would wonder how he would affect the locker room.

[-Deborah-]

I'm not familiar with his locker room attitude, but he's a tough dude who makes plays so I've been rooting for him...

[Mainevent]

I don't recall Ramsey having any locker room issues with the Rams - teammates seem to love playing with him. A lot of stuff went down with Jacksonville and he talks a lot of shit on and off the field. I don't know how all of that plays with the DC/Holmes philosophy. But Holmes certainly has a lot insight into Ramsey. My guess i they would love to have him, but I think dreams of getting without giving up a bunch of assets is just that, a dream.

[chemiclord]

Ramsey is the sort of guy who isn't going to hold back his opinion. If he thinks you're shit, he's going to say so.

Did any of you folks have a problem with Darius Slay going off on Patricia? Then we shouldn't have any problem with Jalen Ramsey.

[Futureshock]

He can be abrasive at times. He had some... issues when he was in Jacksonville. And Holmes and Campbell have spoken (ad nauseum) about the type of player (mentally) that they want. He infamously got into a fight with ex-Lion Golden Tate. Tate is married to his sister. I don't think they want drama. At all or in any form.

[jaadam4]

Slay was one of the absolute best players for a locker room and he was really talented unless he was matching up with a physically imposing WR. He struggled there prob like most would

[Futureshock]

Ramsey is the sort of guy who isn't going to hold back his opinion. If he thinks you're shit, he's going to say so.

Did any of you folks have a problem with Darius Slay going off on Patricia? Then we shouldn't have any problem with Jalen Ramsey.

Difference is that Slay keeps to Slay's business. Ramsey has spouted off on issues that have nothing to do with him. I still remember him talking trash about Stafford when he was in Detroit.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

IMO (and the way my memory recalls things)….Ramsey’s attitude is fine when things are going well.

When he’s been on teams where the wheels are falling off (like the jags when he left and the rams last year) he’s red-assed and vocal about it….basically the same attitude of everyone on this forum

[jaadam4]

IMO (and the way my memory recalls things)….Ramsey’s attitude is fine when things are going well.

When he’s been on teams where the wheels are falling off (like the jags when he left and the rams last year) he’s red-assed and vocal about it….basically the same attitude of everyone on this forum

That JAX team was pretty bad though. He was rotting there but there’s no comparison to he and Slay in the locker room. Several of the local reporters said he was the most liked players on the team

[Futureshock]

Will the Lions Re-Sign DJ Chark in 2023? Detroit’s Options at WR in 2023

Will the Detroit Lions re-sign wide receiver DJ Chark? We break down the Lions' options at wide receiver and what Chark's contract could look like.

ByIan Valentino January 8, 2023

The 2023 NFL offseason is rapidly approaching, meaning a flurry of transactions are set to take place in the coming months. Last year saw a number of playmakers change teams via trades and free agency. This class of free agents lacks some of the star power but has a number of intriguing role players.

Detroit Lions wide receiver DJ Chark is among the better playmakers who will be hitting the open market. Let’s break down why the Lions should want to re-sign Chark, where else he could end up if they trade him, and what his contract could look like.

Why Re-Signing DJ Chark Makes Sense for the Lions
The Lions went on a winning streak to end the 2022 season, making a playoff push that most expected them to in the second year of their rebuild. Their massively-improved offense had a big part of that, ranking fourth in scoring and top-11 as a passing and rushing unit. This jump was the direct result of being healthier across the unit but also adding guys like Chark last offseason.

It was still a year of disjointed availability for the Lions’ receiver room. Amon-Ra St. Brown missed two games, Josh Reynolds missed three games, and Chark missed six. 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams returned from his torn ACL in Week 13 but barely made an impact as he received a small handful of snaps.

It’s fair to expect Detroit to project Williams into a bigger role in 2023 alongside St. Brown. Chark has a void year in his contract, so he needs to be extended or released. Reynolds and Kalif Raymond are also under contract for a combined $7 million in 2023.

Considering Chark was fourth in targets amongst receivers, there’s an argument to be made investing in him when the defense desperately needs help isn’t wise.

But Chark averaged an absurd 18.1 yards per catch, proving to be far more impactful than Raymond or Reynolds. He’s a much higher-upside player, and Detroit could similarly choose Chark over both of them, then backfill their roles through the draft or their own practice squad since Tom Kennedy and Quintez Cephus have shown promise. The negative is sliding Reynolds into the starting lineup instead of Chark is limiting for the offense because he’s not as good.

Though Chark hasn’t played at a Pro Bowl level consistently since he made the team in 2019, he was a standout player when he was on the field in 2022. It’s not an accident the offense suddenly got out of their funk shortly after he returned from injury. This is a better offense with Chark on the field than off.

Teams That Could Be Interested in DJ Chark
The bad news for Detroit is Chark is a unique threat and, therefore, will draw significant attention on the free agent market. Fast 6’4″ receivers aren’t available often and aren’t cheap once they’ve shown they can play. Expect Chark to have a more robust market this offseason.

Cleveland, Chicago, Atlanta, New York Giants, Houston, Baltimore, and Indianapolis immediately stand out as places with cap space that would benefit tremendously from adding Chark as their No. 1 or No. 2 receiver. The Lions boast volume in their unit, but Chark has to consider that he’s not a long-term piece in Detroit. He could pick from playing with Deshaun Watson or Lamar Jackson compared to someone who could be replaced in the coming years in Jared Goff.

At only 26, Chark could have a long career ahead of him if he can stay healthy. That’s the biggest question mark at this point. Vertical receivers like Chark don’t usually hit the open market at his age, but his injuries have contributed massively to why he’s in this situation.

What Is DJ Chark’s Market Value?

Chark signed a three-year deal worth $10 million last offseason, but the second and third seasons were void years to help ease the cap hit Detroit faced in 2022. Releasing Chark would actually cost the team almost $6 million in dead cap in 2023 and $3 million in 2024. The Lions can instead extend Chark and pay slightly more just to keep him on the roster instead of “paying” him to play elsewhere.

The thing working against Chark’s market value is his durability. He’s played more than 13 games in a season only once in his career. He was solid in his playing time in 2022 but missing six games is a tough factor for any general manager to account for. And yet, there’s no denying Chark is an explosive enough downfield threat to justify a similar contract that he received last year. The group of receivers in free agency is bare, with Jakobi Meyers, Chark, and JuJu Smith-Shuster as the most interesting options. We saw receivers get overpaid a bit last year because of the dearth of alternatives, and it may happen again.

Considering Robert Woods, Allen Robinson, and Robbie Anderson are getting north of $14.75 million a year, Chark at $10-$13 million a year is a respectable number. I’d expect him to get another short-term deal that allows him to prove himself and possibly the market again in 2024.

Other Lions Options at Wide Receiver

I think Detroit opts to keep Chark or the duo of Reynolds and Raymond, then opts to add cheaper options to replace whoever is gone. They can afford to draft another talent to the position on Day 2 or Day 3 to eventually replace each of them in the future. Replacing Chark is thought because speed is expensive in the draft and free agency.

Some draft options could include Tennesee’s Jalin Hyatt, Washington’s Rome Odunze, Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson, and Maryland’s Rakim Jarrett. The nice part of drafting one of these players is they may not need to step into a major role right away but will need to be ready in 2024, or if injuries strike again. A rotation would make sense if the rookie is ready for part-time snaps.

Some veterans could at least soak up some snaps. But remember that losing Chark will cost the Lions $6 million, and they’ll get worse if he leaves. Signing someone like Allen Lazard is a downgrade and could cost the Lions at least $10 million with Chark’s dead cap hit and Lazard’s salary. So it doesn’t make a lot of sense to pay a higher-end free agent as a replacement.

Instead, Detroit could take a low-risk chance on Parris Campbell, James Washington, or Noah Brown.

Ian Wharton is a Fantasy and Betting Analyst for Pro Football Network. You can read all of Ian’s work here and follow him on Twitter: @NFLFilmStudy.

[Futureshock]

That JAX team was pretty bad though. He was rotting there

The Rams weren't going bad when he was popping off on any and everyone. He wasn't even being asked and he was just trying to bury guys. Like Stafford.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I don’t remember him “popping off” on anyone during the Super Bowl year. It didn’t start until Stafford was getting hit 20 times per game behind that terrible OL this year.

[dpatnod]

Marty Mornhinweg: How Lions Can Become Super Bowl Contenders in 2023

Just always take the wind!!!!!!

[ghandi]

I get the feeling Chark will be back but what is it going to cost to keep him? Does the team have to let several lower tier guys go to keep Chark? Does it affect JaMo if Chark stays?