The Cincinnati Bengals just can't seem to escape wide receiver drama. First, there was the whole Tee Higgins situation, which included the star receiver requesting a trade before ultimately agreeing to play out the 2024 season under the franchise tag. Now, it's Ja'Marr Chase's turn to make headlines for reasons that don't directly involve football.
More wide receiver drama in Cincinnati?
Chase, who is eligible for an enormous contract extension, reported to training camp with the team, but he was a non-participant over the first couple of days, which raised some eyebrows. When asked if his lack of participation stemmed from unhappiness with his contract, Chase replied “no comment.”
If Chase's lack of participation wasn't contract-related, the star pass-catcher could have ended any and all speculation right there. The fact that he didn't leaves the door open for interpretation, at the least.
Chase has watched other star receivers -- including his friend Justin Jefferson -- sign huge contracts this offseason, and he probably feels like he also deserves a sizable payday, which he does. Chase went over 1,000 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons, and he quickly established himself as one of the best receivers in the entire league. He should get paid as such. But, the Bengals don't appear to be in a rush to open the checkbook.
A tough time to negotiate?
While speaking to the media before the start of training camp, Bengals president Mike Brown revealed that a deal getting done with Chase at this point of the year is unlikely since the full focus for all parties needs to be the upcoming season. But, Brown wouldn't rule out the possibility completely.
"It's not so likely that this is the good time to negotiate," Brown said. "The offseason is a better time for that and we're going to try to keep focused on the football part. I'm not going to rule anything out, but I will tell you that the die has probably been cast."
Brown did emphasize the fact that Chase is in the team's long-term plans.
"He's a key player next to Joe ," Brown said of Chase. "He's our next one. He knows that. We know it. This may take a while. We are going to bend over backwards to get it done. I can't tell you when."
It seems like both sides want the same thing, so it's fair to wonder what the holdup is.
The Bengals don't have to give Chase an extension this year, as he's tehcnically still under team control for the next two seasons. But, by not doing so they run the risk of upsetting Chase and potentially souring the situation. It seems like getting a deal done before the season starts would be beneficial to both sides and would eliminate a potential distraction.
As far as for the question in the headline, well, it might not quite be time to worry yet. But the situation is certainly one to monitor as training camp moves forward.
Never a dull moment in Cincinnati.