Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver D.J. Chark struggled to find his footing as a rookie. Fortunately, it appears he has started to make tremendous strides in his development this offseason.

Chark was unable to etch out a role for himself in the Jaguars offense last year. According to John Reid of Jacksonville.com, wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell feels he has a much better understanding of the offense in Year 2.

″Things start to slow down for you in your second year,″ McCardell said. ″ Being in your first year is like a tornado, everything is all the same, it sounds the same. Now he can pick and choose how to run routes, how to decipher defenses and stuff like that, which will make his game improve just understanding defenses in his second year. In his first year, he says he knows defenses, he’ll tell you he knows it, but you can see it and understand in his route running. That’s when you know he knows it. This year, I can tell he really understands what’s going on with our offenses and what we’re really trying to do.”

This is certainly an encouraging update on Chark. The Jaguars made quite the investment in him when they picked up the big-bodied wideout in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. There is no question that they were enamored with his rare blend of size and speed.

Unfortunately, he was not able to make an immediate impact after finishing the season with just 14 receptions for 174 yards in 11 games. Despite the rough start, it is clear that Jacksonville is hoping that Chark can take that next step going into the 2019 NFL season.

The Jaguars made a bit of a splash in free agency with the signing of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Their main concern now is establishing the pecking order in the receiving corps around Foles.