Last week, it was reported that the Bengals and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who have been negotiating a contract extension for months, would not reach an agreement prior to the club’s regular season opener. At the time, it was still a bit unclear whether the parties could continue their talks during the season.
That now appears unlikely. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the negotiations will “probably” be tabled for the remainder of the 2024 campaign, unless the team – which is historically disinclined to hold in-season contract talks – does something to rekindle them.
Chase is apparently unwilling to restart discussions himself, with Schefter noting that the star wideout feels misled by the club. Cincinnati reportedly told Chase during his exit meeting following the 2023 season and then again at the scouting combine that a deal would get done, and the fact that he is still playing on his rookie deal while fellow 2021 draftmates Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith have landed their second NFL contracts has left a sour taste in his mouth.
Of course, Chase is looking to top all three of those players and land a deal in Justin Jefferson territory ($35MM AAV, $88.7MM in full guarantees). Chase said shortly before the Bengals’ Week 1 matchup with the Patriots that an extension was “in reach,” but as we have noted previously, the structure and cash flow of the Bengals’ proposal was not acceptable to the No. 5 overall pick of the 2021 draft (Cincinnati generally prefers to make a signing bonus the only post-Year 1 guarantee, although quarterback Joe Burrow became an exception to that rule and, since Chase is a generational talent, the team likely will need to deviate from its traditional stance for him as well).
Chase’s decision to break off talks and play out the season without a new deal in place obviously brings the possibility of a career-altering injury undermining his earning power into play. In order to safeguard against that, Chase has taken out a $50MM insurance policy on himself, which has given him all the peace of mind he needs. As one source succinctly said of Chase: “he’s good.”
While negotiations seemed to get close to the finish line by the time the season opener rolled around, the fact that Chase reported to training camp on time made discussions seem a little more advanced than they really were. Chase was always going to report on the third day of camp in order to collect his $3.81MM training camp roster bonus, but due to “a miscommunication and a misunderstanding,” he arrived on the first day. He also initially threatened to miss the first two games of the regular season before deciding that he would play regardless of contract status.
Even with Chase in the fold, the Bengals suffered an upset loss to New England in Week 1 and will have their work cut out for them as they take on the Chiefs today.
He’s a Commander next offseason
I don’t think so . Mike Brown will pay him and they are already offered him a truck load. Mike Brown said he was the second most important bengal and the only hold up was the structuring of the bonus money . Bengals refused to budge on the early potion of it.
I’ll take that bet. The Bengals don’t trade much, and certainly not star players.
He’s good, but he shouldn’t get Jefferson money, he’s not as good as Jefferson
No, he’s not. He’s better and faster.
He’s better, faster, and has a better QB. Yet he still doesn’t hold a candle to Jefferson’s production. Interesting how you came to the conclusion you did.
There aren’t any pass catchers in Minnesota except Jefferson. The Bengals have Chase, Higgins, last year Boyd and Mixon, throw in decent tight ends and there are far more targets than Minnesota QB’S have had over the past few years. When you’ve only got one guy to throw it to his stats are going to look spectacular because he’s the one guy catching passes.
Higgins is out, Mixon and Boyd are gone and through two games Chase has 10 catches for 97 yards and 0 touchdowns. On one catch yesterday Jefferson had as many yards and more touchdowns the. Chase does this year.
no one is taking Chase over Jefferson
I think Chase is better. Jefferson had a spectacular catch and run yesterday but doesnt score better than Chase.
Jefferson — 5 seasons 33 TDs including postseason
Chase — 4 seasons 32 TDs including postseason
“Generational talent” is so overused across this site. He is an elite WR, among the best in the game today, but generational means he will be talked about with the best of all time. There’s just no need to be so hyperbolic, or the words lose all meaning. Unless we are currently in the golden age of WRs, he cannot possibly be a generational talent
After the bonehead move he pulled today, it cost his team big time against the Chiefs, I would let him play this year for his 9.8 million and pick it up next off season…all the big money receivers have gotten paid. He needs a good year to justify being top two, Jefferson is #1, and have the Bengals extend him like they should. The Bengals could also just bite the bullet and not extend him…pay him the 5th year option and then tag him the year after.
It’s just going to cost them more money next year. But what he did wrong was to get into a staring match with Mike Brown. Brown is a decent guy but he doesn’t take kindly to having an employee try to embarrass him in public. If Chase had kept his mouth shut and practiced with the team during training camp he would have his 30-35 million and be fat and happy, but he chose to sit out and watch from the sidelines and try to embarrass Brown into giving him what he wants. You will not ever get what you want from Brown that way, just ask Carson Palmer. Keep quiet, do your job and get paid. Brown will pay him eventually, but he wants to show everyone that he is the boss and it’s his way or the highway.
The Bengals ought to be asking “what have you done for me lately?” Besides the flags…