The Cincinnati Bengals spent the No. 5 overall pick on LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, reuniting him with his former quarterback Joe Burrow, who the Bengals took No. 1 overall a year ago. The two put up insane numbers during LSU’s National Championship season in 2019 and now, Bengals fans can’t wait to see these two replicate those performances together.
The two ranked No. 2 on Gil Brandt’s list of the 10 most exciting new quarterbacks and pass-catchers for the 2021 season. Brandt went into detail about why he put them at No. 2 in his article for NFL.com:
"Joe Burrow got what he lobbied for before the 2021 NFL Draft: a reunion with one of his favorite targets from LSU. The last time Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase worked together, in 2019, Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff award after amassing 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdown catches, both SEC records at the time."
Bengals fans might have had mixed thoughts on Chase being the pick over Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, but it’s hard not to be excited thinking about how good this offense could be in 2021. Brandt also mentions that the two can only be as good as the offensive line allows them to be, however, and that brings us back to the whole ‘should have drafted Sewell’ conversation. It’s an ongoing debate.
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase will make the Bengals offense exciting to watch.
When these two get on the field together, this offense is going to be explosive and should keep them somewhat in contention at the beginning of the season. The two were unstoppable at LSU in Burrow’s senior season and while the offensive line is more of a burden in Cincinnati than it was in Baton Rouge, watching Burrow throw to Chase every week is going to be a lot of fun to watch.
Chase probably isn’t going for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns as a rookie (or ever, if we’re being honest) but he could very well vie for the Offensive Player of the Year award and because of what these two did together in college, any time Chase makes a big catch, it’s going to get talked about.
Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were must-see TV at LSU and they’re hopefully going to be must-see TV in Cincinnati as well. Sundays should result in some fun plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.