One of the main issues highlighted on the LA Chargers roster heading into the 2024 season was the lack of dynamic weapons on offense. After losing Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Gerald Everett in the offseason, the Chargers were left with a supporting cast without any real star power.
Sure, it is easy to look at the glass-half-full for each of the Chargers' weapons but four games into the season, it is clear that most of the weapons deserve a glass-half-empty point of view. Outside of one good performance from Quentin Johnston against the worst team in the league, the only Chargers weapon with real upside has been Ladd McConkey.
Fans saw this conundrum play out firsthand in Week 4 as Justin Herbert struggled behind a tattered offensive line as he tried to throw to weapons that could not create separation. This wasn't just frustrating for Chargers fans, it was frustrating for Herbert too, who showed a rare side of himself with a sideline outburst during the game.
With a 2-2 record in the wide-open AFC, many fans want to see the Chargers add a pass-catcher before the trade deadline to give Herbert some kind of relief. While a trade addition would be welcomed, the Chargers will get help without making a move.
DJ Chark Jr. may be the offensive savior the Chargers need
I know what you are thinking: DJ Chark Jr.? Really? The guy who has one Pro Bowl season under his belt and has not done anything else in the league?
Let me explain.
Chark, who has not played this season due to a hip injury that landed him on the Injured Reserve, is not going to completely reinvent the Chargers' offense. He is not going to come in and be this offense's version of Tyreek Hill to suddenly raise the ceiling of the offense to Super Bowl-caliber.
However, what he will do is offer a dynamic that literally is not on the Chargers right now. When Chark returns from injury he will give the team a legitimate X receiver, something Joshua Palmer is trying to do (while healthy), but failing.
Having a legitimate X receiver will do wonders for the playbook as it will open a whole new part of the field not just for Chark to succeed but for the other receivers to benefit. Chark at the X will allow McConkey to thrive in the slot while allowing Johnston to do what he does best as a short-yardage target.
Chark will also add a speed factor that is currently missing from the Chargers' offense. Herbert has been rather passive this season due to compounding variables but one of the most prominent is his lack of a true deep-ball option. Palmer lacks explosiveness, McConkey lacks size and Johnston lacks the hands. Chark can, hopefully, be a reprieve.
The Chargers have not confirmed if Chark will return after the Week 5 bye but all signs are pointing in that direction. Chark was not placed on the IR until late in the Week 1 cycle, indicating that the team thought there was some kind of chance he would be ready for the start of the season.
With an additional five weeks of rest, Chark should be able to return to the fold as long as there were no setbacks. And if that is the case, prepare to see a different version of this Chargers offense with a naturally higher ceiling.