Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was noncommittal when asked about star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s status for the team’s Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots.
Reporter: Do you expect Ja'Marr Chase to play?
Zac Taylor: "We'll just take it day to day."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 2, 2024
Chase is currently looking for a new contract from Cincinnati, and he has been sitting out of practices as a result. On Monday, the three-time Pro Bowler was at least helping during drills in the portion of practice that was open to the media.
Ja'Marr Chase was the most involved at practice as we've seen him recently. Spent the portion open to the media helping out with WR drills. pic.twitter.com/cEufVELUF7
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) September 2, 2024
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that he thinks the Bengals have intensified efforts to extend Chase, but it appears the two sides are still apart on a number as of Monday.
My sense is the #Bengals have intensified efforts in recent days to place Ja’Marr Chase among the NFL’s highest-paid receivers on an extension. Can they beat the clock?
(@SportsCenter with @garystriewski) pic.twitter.com/lMBG56wAdk
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 31, 2024
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk both received long-term extensions on their contracts this offseason.
However, Chase is in a different situation than both players. A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase still has two years left on his rookie deal. That means the Bengals wouldn’t be at risk of losing him in free agency next offseason.
Still, it appears that Chase wants to be compensated for the impressive production he’s put up over his first three NFL seasons.
Chase has 29 touchdowns for his career, and he’s cleared the 1,000-yard mark in each season he’s played in Cincy. Last season, Chase appeared in 16 games, finishing with 100 receptions, 1,216 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
The Offensive Rookie of the Year in the 2021 season, Chase has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each season for Cincinnati. Since Chase is playing with his college quarterback – Joe Burrow – it makes sense that he wants a long-term deal to stay with him for the next stage in his career.
Cincinnati is hoping to make a deep playoff run in the 2024 season, but it’ll need Chase to make that happen. The Bengals made the Super Bowl in Chase’s rookie season before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in the 2022 season.
Last season, Cincinnati failed to make the playoffs after Burrow went down with an injury.
Until Chase returns to the practice field, it’s likely that his status against the Patriots is truly up in the air.
