Sports

/

ArcaMax

Falcons' Darnell Mooney has a shoulder injury; team set to sign D.J. Chark

D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on

Published in Football

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Falcons starting receiver Darnell Mooney left Thursday’s practice walking with a trainer after falling to the ground on Thursday. He suffered a shoulder injury that will cause him to miss a few weeks.

Wide receiver D.J. Chark, a seven-year veteran and one-time Pro Bowl selection, is set to sign with the team, according to his agent Todd France.

NFL Media was first to report the signing.

ESPN reported that Mooney was attempting to go for a pass from Michael Penix Jr. and was shaken up as he went to the ground.

Mooney, who signed in free agency from the Bears in the 2024 offseason, is coming off a strong season.

He posted a career high in yards per catch at 15.5 and nearly cracked 1,000 yards receiving for the second time in his career.

Mooney caught 64 of 106 targets (51.9%) for 992 yards and five touchdowns. He missed the regular-season finale with a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the 1,000-yard mark. It’s not certain if he reinjured the same shoulder.

Mooney, who was a fifth-round NFL draft pick out (173rd overall) out of Tulane in 2020, had 1,055 yards receiving for the Bears in 2021.

 

Mooney had been putting in some extra work with Penix. He’s been impressed with the second-year signal-caller.

During organized team activities, Mooney was looking forward to the season.

“Well, I was in my villain era last year, (but the Pro Football Writers Association) gave me the good-guy award,” Mooney said. “So, that didn’t work out too well, but other than that I’m just grateful for (coach) Raheem (Morris) and (the assistant coaches). They just allowed me to be myself. So, I can do that, and I’m happy where I am.”

Chark, 28, played at LSU and was most recently with the Los Angeles Chargers. He has also played with the Jaguars (2018-21), Lions (’22) and Panthers (’23).

In 2019, he was named to the Pro Bowl after catching 73 passes for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jaguars.

Chark, who is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, was drafted in the second round (61st overall) by the Jaguars in 2018. He played in seven games last season and had four catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.


©2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus