Bengals HC Zac Taylor casts serious doubt over Ja'Marr Chase's Week 1 status

The Cincinnati Bengals are still dealing with a contract situation that easily could have been avoided. Superstar wideout Ja'Marr Chase is seeking a new deal (to be fair, doing so a year earlier than he needs to) and the Bengals have not budged to give him what he wants.

Cincinnati is feeling the pressure and there is hope among the fanbase that the team can strike a deal with Chase sooner rather than later. However, that hope might be misplaced, as Chase's chances of playing in the season opener seem to get worse by the day.

After saying Chase would play before walking his own comments back, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor now does not sound like someone who thinks Chase is going to play in Week 1. Taylor did not outright rule it out, but the non-committal answer from Cincy's head coach paints the entire picture.

Zac Taylor is not confident in Ja'Marr Chase playing for the Bengals in Week 1

This is the absolute last thing that needed to happen for the Bengals in 2024. With Joe Burrow healthy, the 2024 season is meant to be one of redemption as Cincinnati became a bit of an afterthought in the NFL world last season.

The last thing the Bengals need is a distraction that can take away from the season and that is all this is. Cincy is going to pay Chase eventually so the team might as well stop pinching pennies and get a deal done now. Just give Chase what he is asking for and move on.

This is much different than the Tee Higgins' situation where the Bengals were (rightfully) worried about paying Higgins WR1 money. Chase is one of the best receivers in the entire sport and is the most important player behind Burrow for the team's success.

Chase not playing in Week 1 won't be the end of the world for that specific matchup. The Bengals host the New England Patriots, who might be the worst team in the league with Jacoby Brissett under center. Cincy doesn't need Chase to beat a team like the Patriots.

But that is not an excuse to let this situation drag out. The sooner the Bengals can strike a deal with Chase and get him back on the practice field the better. After all, the Bengals have to go into Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in Week 2. The odds of the Bengals defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs without Chase are much worse without Chase than with him.

Either way, this was avoidable and the fact it is bleeding into the regular season is appalling.