In a bit of news sure to make Bengals fans happy, star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ended his contract hold-in on Sunday, practicing for the first time this summer. The move comes two weeks before Cincinnati opens their season vs. the New England Patriots on September 8th.
Chase had been present at the team facility throughout the offseason, and had been watching practices, however had not stepped onto the field as his camp angles for a long term contract extension with the Bengals front office. The 4th year wide out has one more season remaining on his rookie deal which will pay him $21.8M in 2025.
The former 5th overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft is looking to follow in the footsteps of other high profile WR’s who have signed mega-deals this offseason. A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Justin Jefferson are just some of the names who have cashed in this summer thus far.
Across 45 career NFL games, Chase has hauled in 268 passes for 3,717 yards and 29 TDs. The former LSU standout has been the focal point of the Bengals offence since joining the league, and will likely take on an even larger role next year with teammate Tee Higgins set to hit the open market at season’s end.
While it doesn’t appear as though any progress has been in contract extension talks thus far, Chase’s involvement in practice suggests he isn’t in danger of missing any regular season games as Week 1 quickly approaches.
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