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.

A breakthrough in the case of Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengals could be imminent. The fourth-year wideout said on Friday (via team reporter Geoff Hobson) an extension is “in reach.”

While Chase added that he is prepared to play this season without an extension in hand (h/t Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network), that update points to a deal being distinctly possible before Week 1. Cincinnati has made increased efforts in recent days to get an agreement over the finish line.

That process includes a “significant” offer which is on the table as the countdown to Week 1 continues. Chase has practiced on a limited basis this week, and he termed himself a game-time decision for Cincinnati’s season opener. Team and player could continue negotiations into the regular season, but all of the other receiver mega-deals of the 2024 offseason have been worked out by now. As things stand, Chase is on the books through 2025.

The Bengals made the obvious move of picking up his fifth-year option last offseason, and as a result he is due to collect $21.82MM next year. The three-time Pro Bowler has long been on the extension radar, though, and he confirmed (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) talks have been ongoing for six months. Chase said he was informed by the front office a deal would be worked out this offseason, with today representing his artificial deadline for an extension to be signed.

Cincinnati has stood firm in terms of not breaking organizational practices by making guarantee commitments beyond the first year of an extension. Quarterback Joe Burrow represents an exception to that rule, and the same will surely be true for Chase if/when his extension is on the books. Justin Jefferson reset the WR market with a $35MM-per-year accord and nearly $89MM in guarantees. CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys) and Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) have since signed big-ticket deals of their own, with Lamb in particular landing a similar commitment for locked in compensation. It remains to be seen where Chase will land in the pecking order amongst young wideouts, although his Friday comments confirmed he sees himself as the league’s top receiver.

Burrow is in place long term, and his connection with Chase has remained strong at the NFL level after their time together at LSU. Tee Higgins will play on the franchise tag in 2024, and a free agent departure would come as no surprise. Chase figures to be in the Bengals’ offensive plans for years to come, and that may be official in time for the start of the season.

Although several deals — most notably the one in Minnesota — transformed the wide receiver market this year, no more tectonic shifts remain for the Bengals to observe. The market’s next seismic move figures to come out of Cincinnati. Will the sides hammer out a deal now or end up waiting until 2025?

Ja’Marr Chase has practiced in a limited capacity in each of the past two days, doing so after previously yo-yoing between a hold-in and participating. While this bodes well for Chase’s availability in Week 1, this situation is not yet settled. The fourth-year wideout is not viewed as a lock to be on the field against the Patriots.

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Not known as a team that gives in on these matters, the Bengals may be forced to deviate from their usual contract practices to lock down Chase. The team does not offer non-quarterbacks guarantees beyond Year 1 of extensions, making the Bengals among the few NFL teams who still proceed this way. Jefferson, however, reset the market by securing $110MM guaranteed ($88.7MM at signing), and the Cowboys soon gave CeeDee Lamb $100MM guaranteed ($67MM at signing). The market is effectively set for Chase, who is a year younger than both players.

Chase is angling to top Jefferson’s $35MM-per-year accord, and while the guarantee structure figures to present more complications for the Bengals than reaching that AAV will, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the team has submitted a “significant, significant” offer to the All-Pro talent (video link). The team had recently intensified its effort to extend Chase, and this process is going down to the wire.

It is not known if the parties will shut down negotiations after the regular season begins, but recent Bengals negotiations have proceeded this way. Tee Higgins and the team stopped talking after a below-market offer annoyed the team’s WR2, and the most lucrative receiver contract in Bengals history — A.J. Green‘s four-year, $60MM deal — was agreed to on Sept. 11, 2015. That resolution occurred two days before the regular season that year.

No Bengals player is currently tied to a contract that included upfront guarantees between $146.5MM (Joe Burrow‘s) and $31.1MM (Orlando Brown Jr.‘s signing bonus). Chase will need to land well north of Brown’s number to sign, and he has used this practice pattern to effectively ramp up negotiations with the Bengals. With no other receiver dominoes to fall, Chase slow-playing matters — something the Bengals viewed him as doing earlier this offseason, as the Jefferson-Vikings negotiations finished up — is no longer necessary. Six wideouts are now tied to deals worth more than $30MM per year, compared to one in 2023. At 24, Chase can pair his accomplishments (three Pro Bowls, one second-team All-Pro nod) with youth to push the Bengals to the brink.

Some among the Bengals have bristled about the notion the franchise needs to adjust its guarantee structure to accommodate Chase, but contract structure has been an issue during these talks. Mike Brown had pointed to a 2025 agreement being more likely, when addressing the matter early in training camp, but called Chase the team’s second-highest priority behind Burrow. With the club not expected to give Higgins a long-term deal — in large part because of Chase’s upcoming payday, be it this year or next — the runway is clear for the former No. 5 overall pick to sign. All that remains is an old-school organization offering a market-value extension.

Chase topping Jefferson’s number would make for four receivers setting a position AAV record this year. Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown and Jefferson have done so. St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith have been paid among 2021 first-round wideouts. It would look strange — despite every team in the rookie-scale contract era waiting until Year 5 to extend a Round 1 WR, before this offseason changed the game — if Chase was left on his rookie deal for a fourth season. That is close to happening, as the LSU alum continues to angle for the top WR payday.

For the second straight day, Ja’Marr Chase has taken part in practice. The extension-seeking wideout was listed a limited participant once again, with rest – rather than an injury – being named as the cause (h/t ESPN’s Field Yates).

Chase has been present with the Bengals throughout training camp, but he has rarely been on the practice field while negotiations on a monster extension take place. The three-time Pro Bowler is positioned to land a deal at or near the top of the receiver market, a commitment which (if finalized) will break with organizational tradition in terms of including guaranteed money beyond Year 1 of an extension. That was a requirement for Joe Burrow‘s pact, but it remains to be seen if one with a similar structure is worked out in Chase’s case.

The 24-year-old’s camp slow-played negotiations during the spring in the eyes of the team, but Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk have all agreed to extensions with their respective squads this offseason. Those pacts range between $30MM and $34MM in annual value, and the Lamb accord bridged the gap between Jefferson and the rest of the market in terms of guarantees. A commitment surpassing the one Minnesota made for Jefferson might be needed for Cincinnati to keep Chase in place beyond 2025.

With the Bengals seeming to prefer waiting until next offseason to get a deal done with the LSU product, questions have lingered regarding whether or not he will take the field for Week 1. Indeed, ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes some within the organization have brought up Le’Veon Bell‘s 2018 Steelers holdout when discussing Chase’s situation. During his final college campaign, Chase opted out of the pandemic-altered season knowing he would be one of the top prospects in his draft class. Selected with the No. 5 pick in 2021, his reunion with Burrow has paid considerable dividends.

Chase has raked up 29 touchdowns in his three regular seasons to date, surpassing 1,000 yards each time. Expectations will be high for continued production on that level moving forward, especially if franchise tag recipient Tee Higgins departs in free agency next March. The Bengals have made a push in recent days to finalize an extension, but neither Burrow nor head coach Zac Taylor has firmly stated Chase will be on the field for Week 1. A lack of practice reps is not a concern, however.

“Preparation is an important part of getting ready to play games, but I don’t have a ‘Hey, this threshold has to be met for this individual in this particular instance,,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said (via Graziano’s colleague Ben Baby). “We take it day-by-day and make the best decision we think we can make in the moment.”

Cincinnati’s 2024 campaign will begin against New England on Sunday. The Bengals will no doubt want to have clarity on Chase’s situation by that point, but it remains to be seen if he will be available.

CeeDee Lamb‘s Cowboys holdout and Brandon Aiyuk‘s 49ers hold-in have both come to an end. Extension agreements have brought the wideouts back to their respective teams in advance of Week 1, turning attention to Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengals.

The 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year has been eligible to sign a second contract throughout the offseason, one in which several big-ticket receiver extensions have been worked out. Chase’s former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson reset the market with a Vikings deal averaging $35MM per season. That pact includes nearly $89MM guaranteed, a figure which created a major gulf in terms of locked in compensation compared to Tyreek Hill‘s revised Dolphins contract. Lamb’s deal bridged the gap ($34MM AAV, $67MM guaranteed at signing), and it could pave the way for progress between Chase and the Bengals.

The 24-year-old’s camp slow-played negotiations earlier this summer in the view of the team, SI’s Albert Breer notes. Chase understandably waited until Jefferson’s agreement was in place, and while talks have taken place recently, nothing has appeared imminent. The fact that Lamb and Aiyuk have both worked out deals offers further clarity on the receiver market moving forward. While Chase is on the books for two more years, he is the Bengals’ top financial priority. Both team and player have been linked to waiting until next offseason to work out a deal, though.

Chase is healthy, but after skipping voluntary OTAs and attending mandatory minicamp, he has practiced on an infrequent basis during training camp. Head coach Zac Taylor said three-time Pro Bowler would be in place for Week 1, but he has since conceded this situation is evolving on a day-to-day basis. A new effort has been made by Cincinnati’s front office to hammer out an extension with Week 1 looming as an artificial deadline. The sides could reach an eleventh-hour agreement, but the absence of one would likely lead to extension talks being delayed until next spring.

With three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume (despite missing five games in 2022), Chase is positioned to become of the league’s top earners at the receiver spot. Some around the league think moving him to the top of the pecking order will be necessary, an investment which would be particularly notable given the Bengals’ reputation for frugality. The team broke with tradition in committing guaranteed money beyond Year 1 for quarterback Joe Burrow, and the same will be necessary in Chase’s case regardless of where his deal ends up in terms of annual value.

Cincinnati’s regular season (expected to be the final one with franchise tag recipient Tee Higgins in the fold) begins on Sunday. Whether or not Chase practices again between now and then could depend on the status of contract talks, something which no longer involves waiting on comparable situations to be sorted out.

After participating in some light practices earlier in the week, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase observed practice from the sideline over the past few days. This tactic appeared to be a resumption of his training camp hold-in, with the wideout continuing to seek a lucrative contract extension. With Week 1 rapidly approaching, it sounds like Chase’s efforts may be working.

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According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bengals have “intensified” their efforts to extend Chase in recent days. The organization’s goal is to get the wideout back on the practice field for the start of next week, and there’s some optimism within the building that the two sides can find common ground.

As has been noted throughout this saga, Chase’s two remaining years are a hurdle in negotiations. Fowler adds some more context, noting that the Bengals are wary of guaranteeing too much money when they still have the former first-round pick locked in through the 2025 campaign.

From a total-value perspective, it sounds like the Bengals are more than willing to meet Chase’s demands. Per Fowler, the organization is willing to pay Chase more than $30MM per season, although it was already assumed the front office would have to promise this AAV considering six wideouts are now at or above that threshold. We heard recently that multiple teams expect Chase to actually top Justin Jefferson‘s $35MM AAV, but it sounds like Chase’s guarantees would trail Jefferson’s $88MM-plus in guaranteed money.

Chase appeared to have abandoned his hold-in earlier this week, with the wideout attending practice. Zac Taylor was pretty definitive that his star wideout would be available for Week 1, but things took a turn as the week went on. Chase attended practices on Wednesday and Thursday but was spotted wearing street clothes, and Taylor was quick to walk back his previous comments.

Taylor’s declaration could end up being correct. However, it sounds like the two sides still have to overcome their contract staring contest before next Sunday.

AUGUST 29: Chase was again present for practice without participating on Thursday, as noted by Baby. Taylor declined to offer a firm timeline on when he expects Chase to return to team drills, meaning plenty of uncertainty remains over a situation which appeared to to be nearing at least a short-term resolution earlier this week.

AUGUST 28: The Ja’Marr Chase saga took an interesting turn today. After returning to practice earlier this week, the Bengals wideout didn’t participate in today’s session. Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Chase was spotted at the team facility wearing only street clothes. ESPN’s Ben Baby confirms that Chase did not practice with the team today. This development comes 24 hours after coach Zac Taylor said he expected his star wideout to practice fully on Wednesday and Thursday.

After staging a training camp hold-in in pursuit of a new contract, Chase seemed to abandon his stance this week. The receiver participated in lighter practices to begin the week, and Taylor even told reporters yesterday that his star player was expected to suit up for Week 1.

Things took a turn today. With the Bengals preparing for “a more traditional game week practice” (per Baby), Chase was on the sideline. Taylor later walked back his previous comments about Chase’s practice availability, noting that he likely spoke “too quickly” while declaring the receiver day-to-day (although the coach also acknowledged that Chase is completely healthy).

“I think every day is a new day. We’ll keep working through it,” Taylor said (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I am not going to make any predictions to what tomorrow brings. At the end of the day, Ja’Marr is a great dude that means a lot to this team, and we’ll just continue to take it day to day.”

While the Bengals have continually expressed interest in extending Chase, the front office is in no rush to hand him a lucrative new contract with two years remaining on the current deal. Chase doesn’t have a whole lot of leverage besides protecting his health and staying off the practice field, but one of the sides will eventually have to blink if the receiver is going to play in Week 1.

Ja’Marr Chase does not have a deal in hand, but he is not expected to miss regular season time as a result of extension negotiations. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said on Tuesday the team’s No. 1 wideout is expected to play in Week 1.

“It’s been good just to have our full complement of weapons out there,” Taylor said (via the team’s website). “I think it gives you the visual of what it’s going to look and feel like for us. It’s been good to get him back in the mix the last couple of days. He’s looked great. Same Ja’Marr I’m used to. The plan will be to continue to practice with him.”

Chase had been engaged in a training camp hold-in, but he recently returned to practice. No updates emerged on the extension front Tuesday, although an agreement could still be reached in time for the start of the season. If that does not wind up being the case, the former Offensive Rookie of the Year will start the campaign while under contract for two more seasons.

The Bengals picked up Chase’s 2025 fifth-year option last year, a move which has him on track to earn $21.82MM that season. A long-term accord will cost much more, and while the Bengals have named the LSU alum their top remaining financial priority (since Joe Burrow‘s extension has been taken care of), the team appears to be willing to wait until next offseason to finalize a long-term deal. Chase himself is reportedly open to doing so, and today’s update would make it no surprise if he paused contract talks at least once the season kicked off.

The receiver market has seen another upward shift this offseason, with Chase’s former college teammate Justin Jefferson landing $35MM per season on his Vikings deal. That pact stood in a tier of its own for several months (especially in terms of guarantees) until CeeDee Lamb signed a Cowboys extension yesterday. That deal carries an AAV of $34MM and includes $100MM in guarantees.

A Chase deal will likely include similar terms, although a recent report stated that multiple teams around the league expect him to command the most lucrative receiver deal in history – something which would require surpassing Jefferson’s accord. Chase’s resume includes three Pro Bowls and one second-team All-Pro nod, and especially if Tee Higgins departs next offseason as expected, he will be Cincinnati’s top pass catcher by a wide margin. Regardless of if he has an extension on the books by that point, it appears Chase will have suited up for the 2024 campaign without issue.