Coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting that Chark recently underwent ankle surgery, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Rivera said that Chark could be ready for OTAs. The 26-year-old looks primed to join 32-year-old veteran Adam Thielen, both newcomers to Carolina's offense, as the team's top receiving options, though further competition could be added in the 2023 NFL Draft. Of course, the Panthers also look poised to add a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, so if Chark is able to return to health early in the offseason it will give him more time to build up a rapport with what should be a first-year starting quarterback.