There may be no bigger battle in DJ Chark’s NFL career than the one he’s had with the injury bug. And unfortunately for the former Pro Bowl wideout, it’s back for more.
Chark was among the handful of Carolina Panthers players absent from this afternoon’s practice, just two days before their preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. After head coach Frank Reich declined to provide details into the nature of his status, a team spokesman would subsequently report that Chark sustained a hamstring injury.
Panthers WR DJ Chark's injury is a hamstring, no other details on what happened/extent have been given.
— Augusta Stone (@augustalstone) August 23, 2023
The Panthers signed Chark to a one-year, $5 million deal this spring. While a potent and proven weapon, the 26-year-old came in with an extensive injury history—as he had never played a full slate of games in any of his previous five NFL campaigns.
His most recent setback, an ankle injury, forced him to miss six games for the Detroit Lions in 2022. Chark underwent surgery on the ankle this offseason.