Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase revealed that he will be a game-time decision for Sunday’s season opener against the New England Patriots, as he deals with an “aggravating” contract dispute.
Speaking out on Friday, Chase mentioned he’s open to playing this season, even if an extension isn’t reached. However, whether or not he takes the field at Paycor Stadium on Sunday will ultimately be his call.
“It’s my decision,” Chase said, as the Bengals marked him as questionable for Sunday’s game.
Chase isn’t the only Bengals receiver with uncertainty for the opener—Tee Higgins is listed as doubtful due to a hamstring injury sustained on Thursday.
Chase suited up for Friday’s practice, making it his third consecutive day of participation, despite missing all of training camp and skipping Monday’s workout before the start of the official game week on Tuesday.
Chase acknowledged that both sides are nearing a deal and have made recent progress, with a personal deadline of Friday for an agreement to be reached.
“It’s a small chance, but who knows what’ll happen in the next few hours?” Chase commented.
This offseason, several wide receivers, including members of his 2021 draft class, received major contract extensions. Notably, Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, Chase’s former LSU teammate and close friend, secured a $140 million deal. When asked about reports suggesting he wanted to surpass Jefferson’s contract by one cent, Chase dismissed the notion.
Ja’Marr Chase made it clear that if he wanted to surpass Justin Jefferson’s contract, it wouldn’t be by a mere penny. “If I want to beat Justin, I’m gonna beat the s— out of Justin,” he said, emphasizing his competitive spirit. He also mentioned that he hadn’t directly requested a new deal, as the Bengals had already expressed their intention to extend his contract before the offseason began. Regardless, Chase noted that he would have pursued an extension on his rookie deal, which lasts until the end of 2025.
When discussing his contract demands, Chase stated that his position hasn’t changed.
Ja’Marr Chase explained that players like Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb have already established the landscape for wide receiver contracts. “I mean, nothing really changed,” Chase said. “The market’s been set. It’s written for me, not me writing it.”
While he acknowledged that guaranteed money and average annual value were key factors in his negotiations, Chase remained tight-lipped on specific details. He referenced his previous statements from January, adding, “I’m not going to give you word for word, but some of it.”
