Amid contract extension discussions with the Cincinnati Bengals, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had been present and watching his teammates at practice every day.
That is, until Tuesday when Chase was notably absent for the team’s final practice before traveling to Chicago for a joint practice and preseason game this week.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor continued to say the situation is “day to day” after the practice and offered no further comment. That’s been his consistent line throughout this situation that’s lasted all 14 practices of camp.
Chase is in the fourth year of his rookie contract and the team has already exercised the fifth-year option for 2025.
Bengals president Mike Brown stated before camp started the club would “bend over backwards” to get Chase signed up long term, calling him their second-best player. Brown also noted this “probably isn’t the best time to negotiate” as part of the same scrum with local media.
The Bengals traditionally have pushed major deals to the last possible instant. The last time they paid a receiver at the top of the league was in 2015 when A.J. Green signed the Friday before the opener of his fifth-year-option season.
Taylor has said he’s “happy with the communication” with Chase as the other standard line throughout these three weeks and can even be seen laughing and sharing a celebratory half-hug and comment after rookie receiver Jermaine Burton scored a touchdown in the preseason opener.
Chase, 24, notched 100 receptions for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns through 16 regular-season games last season. Cincinnati selected him with the No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft out of LSU.
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(Photo: Courtney Culbreath / Getty)
