Justin Jefferson shares message for Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals amid contract drama

Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are friends. They went to the same school, and they both play the same position in the NFL. So given this background it's not surprising that Jefferson was recently asked about Chase's ongoing contract drama with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chase, who is seeking a contract extension from the Bengals, was a non-participant throughout the entirety of training camp and preseason play, and with the start of the regular season rapidly approaching, his status remains fluid. The Bengals have maintained publicly that they ultimately plan to pay Chase, but it appears as though they might not be ready to make that commitment at this time.

Meanwhile, Jefferson agreed to a massive four-year, $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings over the offseason, and Chase should be in line to receive a similar, if not slightly larger, deal. The situations are slightly different, though, as Jefferson got his deal after his fourth season in the league, while Chase is hoping to put to paper on his deal prior to the start of his fourth season.

Justin Jefferson shares message for Ja'Marr Chase

During a recent appearance on "Up and Adams" with Kay Adams, Jefferson said that he hopes that Chase gets the deal he's seeking, but he also hopes that his friend's contract quest doesn't prevent him from showing his greatness on the field.

"I hope that he gets the contract that he's looking for, but I also hope that he plays it smart and not let it get in the way of, you know, his greatness and being on that field," Jefferson said.

And if Chase ultimately ends up with a larger deal than Jefferson?

"I mean, it's always congratulations," Jefferson said with a smile. "It's always love, especially on my end, about my brothers, that are making good in this league and making a name for themselves."

Now, Jefferson will have to wait like the rest of us to find out how the Chase saga plays out. Will the star receiver get a new deal before the start of the regular season? If not, is he going to be out on the field with his teammates? These are questions we'll find out the answers to in the very near future.

If a deal doesn't come to fruition in the short term, perhaps Chase will follow in Jefferson's footsteps by playing out the fourth season on his current contract and then putting pen to paper prior to his fifth season in the league.