4 early standouts from Carolina Panthers training camp in 2023
By Luke Gray
D.J. Chark - Carolina Panthers WR
In regards to D.J. Chark, the player's talent has never been in question. But an issue for the former LSU speedster has always been his health.
The 2018 second-round pick has yet to complete a full season over his five years in the NFL. His best year came in 2019 when Chark played 15 games on his way to 1,008 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl appearance.
If Chark can stay healthy, the one-year, $5 million deal he signed with the Carolina Panthers may be seen as a steal. The early signs seem overwhelmingly positive given the positive relationship between the wideout and new quarterback Bryce Young - something that could see him become the team's No. 1 option.
Through the first three days of practice, we saw Young and Chark connect on multiple occasions. The highlight came on Saturday when the signal-caller hit the receiver on a beautiful back-shoulder deep ball which he caught beautifully - even drawing praise from legendary wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.
That’s exactly where you want the ball as a receiver, outside shoulder so the DB can’t get a hand in there https://t.co/SdVtedtdDj
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) July 29, 2023
The 2024 offseason will see a higher caliber of free agent wide receivers hit the open market and many expect Carolina to be aggressive in their pursuit of finding a long-term No. 1 for Young. But if Chark can perform and stay healthy this season, Scott Fitterer may be tempted to extend his stay in the Queen City.