Bengals Star Ja’Marr Chase Hints at Week 1 Status With Thursday Practice Decision

Just a few days before the Cincinnati Bengals’ season opener against the New England Patriots, star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was seen practicing for the second straight day. He has been dealing with a contract dispute all offseason and there has been doubt about his status for Week 1.

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Ja’Marr Chase is in uniform heading out to practice today.

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 5, 2024

While there is no official confirmation about his status for Week 1, the fact that Chase is practicing a few days before kickoff is a good sign for Cincinnati. If Chase plays, it would give the Bengals a massive boost against the Patriots.

Pairing him with co-star Tee Higgins allows Cincinnati to fully utilize their offensive attack. They will also have star quarterback Joe Burrow back from injury as the Bengals look to put themselves back into the elite category in the AFC.

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Just a few days ago, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said that the Bengals were intensifying efforts to extend Chase, but so far, nothing has come about.

“From what I’ve heard, the Bengals have intensified their efforts to try to get this done in recent days. They are hopeful to try to get him back out on the practice field, cause there has been that hold-in, on Monday to get this going and get him under contract on a deal that would be well above $30 million per year.”

Chase is looking for a major contract extension from Cincinnati, similar to the ones that Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb received this offseason. He has been one of the better wide receivers in the NFL since he was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of LSU.

Bengals owner Mike Brown said earlier in the offseason that the team wouldn’t negotiate a contract with Chase this offseason. But with him threatening to hold out, it seems things may have changed.

“It’s not so likely that this is the good time to negotiate,” Brown said in July, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “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.”

Last season, Chase put up 100 receptions for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. Losing out on his production, even for a small amount of games, could severely hinder the overall success of the Bengals season.

The hope is that Cincinnati can work out a deal with Chase and get him out onto the field for the season opener. His appearance on the practice field could be a sign that the ice may be melting between the two sides.

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