Everything seemed to be trending in the right direction for Ja’Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals… for all of three days.
Chase, who’s in search of a new contract that would put him on par with the top-paid wide receivers in the NFL, returned to practice on Sunday for the first time this camp.
He then continued to participate with the team, and on Tuesday, head coach Zac Taylor said the star wideout would practice all week and was expected to play in the team’s regular season Week 1 opener against the New England Patriots.
How quickly things change.
On Wednesday, Chase showed up to practice in street clothes and didn’t participate.
Read more: Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase Doesn’t Practice One Day After HC Zac Taylor Said He Would
When Taylor was asked about this apparent turn of events, he took accountability for likely speaking too soon.
“I think I probably put my foot in my mouth speaking too quickly,” Taylor said to reporters. “Again, this is a day-to-day situation. We’ll just keep seeing it as that.”
Taylor added that Chase is fully healthy, so his absence continues to be contract-related.
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Chase has two years left on his rookie deal, with a fifth-year option worth $21.8 million next year. However, after Justin Jefferson got a four-year, $140 million deal and CeeDee Lamb got a four-year, $136 million deal, Chase wants to make sure he gets paid well before entering his contract year.
More news: Top 5 Highest-Paid NFL Wide Receivers After CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys Extension
Taylor was much more careful about making any predictions regarding his superstar wide receiver on Wednesday.
“I think every day is a new day,” Taylor said. “We’ll keep working through it. Not going to make predictions on what tomorrow brings. At the end of the day, Ja’Marr’s a great dude that means a lot to this team, and we’ll just continue to take it day to day.”
Chase has caught 268 passes for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns across his first three seasons in the NFL (45 games). He’s established an incredible connection with his former LSU teammate, Joe Burrow, and has lived up to his hype as a No. 5 overall pick in 2021.
Chase is a three-time Pro Bowler and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2021 after catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. He doesn’t want to wait to get paid like the top receiver he’s already panned out to be.
Fantasy Football Impact of Ja’Marr Chase Contract Dispute
If Chase doesn’t play in Week 1, the Bengals will utilize Tee Higgins as the WR1. Moreover, Andrei Iosivas should gets tons of opportunities, while Jermaine Burton, Trenton Irwin, and Charlie Jones will compete for the third wide receiver spot.
Joe Burrow’s value would take a hit without his top playmaking wide receiver.
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