EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers receiver DJ Chark tripled his offensive snap count for the season in Sunday’s win at the Atlanta Falcons.
Chark played two offensive snaps. He is up to three offensive snaps for the year.
The Chargers signed Chark to a one-year, $3 million deal in May, and through the spring and summer, it appeared as though he would be an important contributor for quarterback Justin Herbert and the offense in 2024. Instead, Chark has been a non-factor.
Chark injured his hip in training camp. He landed on injured reserve the day before the Chargers opened their season with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He remained on IR until Nov. 2, missing the first seven games of the season as his hip injury turned into a groin injury during the rehab process.
Chark has now been available for a month, and he still cannot find his way onto the field or into the offensive game plan. He has been inactive for three of the five games since he was activated off IR. He was an afterthought in the two games for which he actually suited up.
On Sunday, five receivers played more on offense than Chark did: Quentin Johnston (41 snaps); Joshua Palmer (29); Ladd McConkey (29); Jalen Reagor (13) and Derius Davis (12).
McConkey led all Chargers receivers with 117 yards on a day when Herbert threw for 147 yards. No other receiver had more than 12 yards. McConkey had 12 targets. Johnston had four targets. No other receiver had multiple targets.
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At a time when the passing offense very obviously needs a boost, why are the Chargers not giving Chark more of a look?
“There are some guys playing better than him,” coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday.
In organized team activities and training camp, Chark was consistently making plays in the passing game. He was filling a needed role as a big body and speed threat on the outside. He was developing a noticeable rapport with Herbert, before Herbert suffered his foot injury in early August and missed the next three weeks of camp.
Chark’s injury changed the trajectory of his season.
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The Chargers’ OTAs and training camp practices are fully open to media. Once the regular season begins, though, media members can only watch around the first 15 minutes of practice, which typically include individual drills and special teams periods. Media members do not get to watch any offensive or defensive team periods, which makes it impossible to gauge firsthand how a receiver like Chark is performing offensively on the practice field.
Chark returned to practice on Oct. 16. He missed just less than two full months of practice after injuring the hip on Aug. 19. Since returning, Chark has not shown enough in practice to move him ahead of the other receivers on the depth chart, according to Harbaugh.
“There was a lot of weeks where he wasn’t practicing,” Harbaugh said of Chark. “There’s an ascension, there’s a getting back in and proving that.
“Simple. No underlying meanings. It is what it is. It’s a meritocracy out there.”
When Harbaugh was asked about Chark last week, he said, “The opportunity is there.”
Harbaugh was asked about that comment Monday and expanded on his point.
“The opportunity is there,” Harbaugh said. “It’s there during the week. It’s there in practices. It’s there. It is an opportunity. Two plays, that’s an opportunity. One play is an opportunity. So I like the way he’s progressing. Everybody that puts that uniform on and is dressing on game day, or anybody that puts on the uniform who is practicing during a practice day has the license, the ability and the opportunity to go out there and show that he can contribute.”
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While Harbaugh said Chark is trending “arrow up” and showing “improvement,” it is clear he has not shown enough to the coaching staff.
“It’s a matter of earning those snaps by how you play,” Harbaugh said.
If the Chargers were dominating in the passing game, Chark’s lack of playing time would not be an important topic. But the Chargers are not dominating in the passing game. Quite the opposite. They rank 25th in success rate on passing attempts, according to TruMedia, while starting one of the best quarterbacks in football who is playing at a very high level.
The disconnect lies in the talent at receiver, and that was exceedingly evident in Sunday’s win. McConkey is the only matchup advantage the Chargers have at pass catcher. McConkey had 105 yards receiving in the first half. He only had one catch in the second half, and Harbaugh said Monday that McConkey was “limited” physically in the second half by injuries. He had a knee injury in the game and has also dealt with a shoulder injury this season.
McConkey operates most often out of the slot. To take some attention off the star rookie, the Chargers need a threat on the outside. Chark is a fit for that role. But the Chargers have opted for other receivers who are, frankly, not making any sort of impact.
When the Chargers have targeted McConkey this season, they have a passing success rate of 53.1 percent, according to TruMedia. For context, the Detroit Lions are the only team in the league over 53.3 percent in passing success rate on the season.
When Herbert has targeted any other player on the roster, the Chargers have a passing success rate of 41.6 percent, according to TruMedia. For context, only five teams have a worse passing success rate on the season.
So to frame it another way: The Chargers are a top-five passing offense by success rate when targeting McConkey and a bottom-six passing offense by success rate when targeting anybody else on the roster.
Sorted by expected points added, the discrepancy is even more glaring. When the Chargers target McConkey, they average 0.55 EPA per attempt, according to TruMedia. When they target any other player on the roster, they average 0.08 EPA per attempt. In other words, the Chargers are producing nearly half a point more value per attempt when they target McConkey versus any other player on the roster.
McConkey is the passing offense right now. And because the Chargers still cannot run the ball consistently, McConkey is effectively the entire offense.
Harbaugh said Monday that McConkey is “working through some things” on the injury front.
“We’ll see where he is Wednesday, see how he progresses,” Harbaugh said.
The Chargers are 8-4. They have won four of their past five games. They are likely going to make the playoffs. Harbaugh has led a dramatic and emphatic turnaround.
But if the Chargers want to make noise in the postseason, they need more from this group of receivers, especially if McConkey is battling through physical ailments.
The trade deadline has passed. The difference has to come from players already on the roster.
The Chargers have a potential answer in Chark.
If they choose to actually put him on the field, that is.
“It’s just a matter of being better than somebody else,” Harbaugh said. “I can’t say it any more plainly or clearly.”
(Photo: Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
