Cincinnati Bengals fans breathed a sigh of relief when it was reported that wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was reporting for training camp. Chase is one of multiple star wideouts searching for a lucrative extension this offseason, and others such as Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys have taken more aggressive measures to get their point across to decision makers.
While Chase is in the building, he reportedly hasn’t done much through the early part of training camp. According to ESPN, Chase was seen on the practice field Thursday, but was not practicing. Reporter Ben Baby said that he’s, “trending toward not practicing for the second straight day.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter added that this situation isn’t over.
So, is Chase “holding in?” We don’t have enough information to make a determination. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor made it clear to reporters on Wednesday that they shouldn’t expect to see Chase or fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins do much through the first couple days.
“Early on, we’re going to let a lot of these young guys get their reps, get their feet wet,” Taylor said. “So I’ve got a plan for Ja’Marr, a plan for Tee. I’ve done a great job of communicating with those guys. So you’ll see Ja’Marr limited (Wednesday), not doing much. Tee, tomorrow, not doing much. We’ve got a plan for Burrow, a guy coming off an injury, who’s great, healthy. But we’re trying to be proactive early in camp like I mentioned the other day. Those guys will each have their time where they’re minimized and other guys get the opportunity.”
On the other hand, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow didn’t sound like he exactly understood what the plan was for Chase.
“We’ve had our discussions that I’ll keep private,” Burrow said, via Cincinnati.com. “His business is his business. He’s out here encouraging guys. I’m not entirely sure what his plan is. I know he’s with us 100%. I know he’ll be physically and mentally ready whenever he steps back out here”
Bengals owner Mike Brown said before training camp they are “going to bend over backwards” to make a deal happen for Chase, but there’s no timeline on one.
“I can’t tell you when it’s going to get done,” Brown said, via WLWT.” He also added, “The reel has been cast.”
The bottom line is that this situation is worth keeping a close eye on. Chase is set to make $4.86 million in what is the fourth year of his rookie deal — which is not enough for one of the best wide receivers in the league. Chase has crossed 1,000 receiving yards in all three of his NFL seasons, and caught a career-high 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns this past season while Burrow missed seven games due to injury.
The Bengals’ predicament was made tougher by the Minnesota Vikings, who struck a deal this offseason with Justin Jefferson to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Chase’s former LSU teammate signed a massive $140 million extension that includes $35 million per year. What would Chase accept? And can the Bengals beat the 49ers and Cowboys to the punch in getting a deal done with their WR1? That’s what we’re paying attention to as we enter August.
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Author: Jordan Dajani
July 25, 2024 | 4:56 pm
