Half-serious Bengals question: Can Ja'Marr Chase pull a Travis Hunter?

Not that Travis Hunter is a raging success to date as a hopeful two-way star in the NFL. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars phenom did play wide receiver and defensive back last season against Ja'Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.

Hunter had a critical pass interference penalty that helped Jake Browning orchestrate a game-winning touchdown drive in the Bengals' 31-27 win.

It was the most Pyrrhic of victories, though. That marked the game when Joe Burrow went down with his surgery-requiring turf toe injury. The Jags rallied to win the AFC South and make the playoffs. Cincinnati went 4-11 the rest of the way.

But this ain't about all that. This is about whether Ja'Marr could play both ways, too, in light of his amazing pick-six at the Bengals-star-studded Pro Bowl Games.

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase flashed All-Pro defensive back potential in Pro Bowl Games, and it was giving Travis Hunter [vibes]

Most times when Ja'Marr is asked any sort of football-related question of genuine substance, he'll often flex his football IQ and how he's in the ultimate ESP-esque, same-page relationship with Burrow.

The best pass-catchers in the NFL understand coverages as well as their quarterbacks do. Look no further than the AFC's standard for excellence in recent years, the Kansas City Chiefs. Legendary tight end Travis Kelce is famous for pseudo-freelancing on his routes, only for Patrick Mahomes to uncannily complete passes to him time and again.

Kelce may be on the way out of the league before long, but not before he helped the Chiefs win three Super Bowls.

This is similar to the vibes Burrow and Chase project. The difference is, they don't have a phenomenal defense to back them up, never mind a league-average unit.

Saying all that to say, when Chase read what Jared Goff was looking at, he jumped the route in the deep red zone, used his strong hands to secure the ball with one hand, and raced to the other end zone.

Just chill on the panic-inducing backflip celebrations there, Ja'Marr.

And look, the Bengals are way too risk-averse to deploy Ja'Marr on defense. What I will say is, I have more than a few supporters on my take that he could be a situational deep safety:

This stat about 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart, courtesy of my guy Zim, is too funny not to share again when it comes to Ja'Marr's knack for finding opposing ball-carriers and bringing them to the ground:

By season's end, the oft-injured Stewart returned to the lineup to match Chase with five solo tackles.

Between his obvious tackling prowess, his ability to diagnose coverages — how many QBs can be smarter than Burrow? — and his outstanding ball skills, how could Ja'Marr Chase not be an exceptional contributor to the Bengals' secondary?

Like obviously, draft or sign a safety to replace free agent to-be Geno Stone. But like...maybe put Ja'Marr back there sometimes, too! He would crush it!