The taste of going 1-15 last season didn’t sit well with anyone on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2020 roster, including their star receiver DJ Chark. However, 2021 provides a new opportunity for the fourth-year receiver and his team to better themselves and Chark is eager to do so with a new staff and new teammates who’ve provided him with a revamped scene.
When asked what are the expectations from the team’s perspective by NFL Network, Chark stated that there weren’t specific goals in mind for the team but felt that their willingness to compete would make them a significantly better group. He added that their competitive mindset would speak for itself on the field and also put the Jags in position to shock people.
“Just to go out there and compete, be better than what we were last year,” Chark said . “The 1-15 season is somewhere that we don’t want to go back. Everyone that’s here understands that. The guys that came in came from a lot of winning programs so we’re trying to develop that winning culture and just that comradery here and I think we’re going to do really good. I think we’re gonna shock a lot of people. I’m not one of the people that’s huge on setting record goals or anything like that, or saying how many wins or losses we’re gonna have but we’re gonna be an exciting football team, for sure.”
Jags coach Urban Meyer has frequently said he doesn’t view the Jags as a team that is rebuilding, which means he’s expecting immediate success in his first year. However, for that to happen, Chark will need to return to Pro Bowl form, while the passing game, in general, will need to play to its potential, too.
In the interview, Chark seemed highly confident that both he and the passing game could be the group to get the Jags on track, praising his notable teammates like Laviska Shenault Jr., Marvin Jones Jr., and first overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
“We take a lot of responsibility and accountability when it comes to the passing game,” he said. “Marvin coming in, [he’s] a dynamic player. Laviska being young and so dynamic, me still trying to reach new heights. I think we have a lot to prove but I think it’s gonna come together real smooth. And definitely being able to have Trevor back there, it’s crazy how that he’s so young and so talented. So, the sky is the limit, really, with us right now. We don’t know how great we can be but we know we can be great, for sure.”
If the aforementioned names can have success through the air, the Jags’ season will undoubtedly be more successful than 2020’s run. That should also lead to Chark emerging again and becoming the star many fans believe he can be.