Ja’Marr Chase was back at Cincinnati Bengals practice for a critical Wednesday session ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the New England Patriots.
His presence at practice raises hopes in Cincinnati that he’ll be able to play in Sunday’s game.
Chase has been engaged in a so-called hold-in throughout the preseason amid a contract dispute. He’s shown up to team facilities and preseason games but has largely declined to participate in team practices and team activities.
Wednesday practices before Sunday games are typically when game plans are installed in the NFL. An absence would have put Chase’s status for Sunday in serious jeopardy. Head coach Zac Taylor wasn’t clear before the start of practice whether or not Chase would participate.
“We’ll see,” Taylor told reporters.
Chase then showed up to the practice facilities in full gear.
He was seen running routes and catching passes in team drills.
This marks the first on-field work for Ja’Marr Chase at Bengals practice since a couple light days of minicamp.
Still plenty of unknowns ahead of Sunday, but certainly a sign the Bengals were hoping to see. pic.twitter.com/qKBVTK7mXu
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) September 4, 2024
Chase previously participated in a full Bengals practice on Aug. 25 for the first time since the start of Bengals training camp on July 24. He’d previously only participated in occasional drills, according to reports. His presence at facilities has allowed him to avoid being fined as he’s exercised leverage in his contract dispute.
What Chase wants
Chase is seeking an extension to his rookie contract amid a changing contract landscape for NFL wide receivers. The market has shifted this offseason with many of the league’s top receivers signing lucrative deals.
Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings reset the market with a four-year, $140 million contract, including $110 million in guarantees. The deal is the richest for a non-quarterback in NFL history. Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) and A.J. Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) each signed contracts worth more than $30 million per year.
Those deals in part spurred disputes involving other top receivers, including CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk, who held out from training camp in search of new contracts. Both have since signed new deals. Lamb agreed to a four-year, $136 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 26, and Aiyuk agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers last week — both in time to prepare and get acclimated for the regular season.
Chase’s contract situation, meanwhile, has remained in limbo as the regular season approaches. Chase is entering the fourth season of his four-year, $30.8 million rookie contract. He’ll be due $21.8 million in 2025, per a fifth-year option exercised by the Bengals. He hasn’t spoken publicly about his contract demands, but is presumably seeking a deal that rivals Jefferson’s $35 million annual value.
Chase has been one of the league’s best receivers since he first stepped on the field as a rookie in 2021. He earned All-Pro and Rookie of the Year honors in his first season and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons.
Chase has played a significant role in Cincinnati’s ascent to contention while catching passes from his college teammate Joe Burrow. The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl during his rookie season and the AFC championship a year later.