While the Pittsburgh Steelers are still wondering if they are landing Brandon Aiyuk, the Cincinnati Bengals are wondering where Ja’Marr Chase is. The fourth-year wide receiver evidently turned his hold-in into a holdout, not reporting to training camp yesterday. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had little to add to the matter, not even commenting on his absence. All he offered, as he has for weeks now, is that Chase is in a “day-to-day” situation.
The Bengals have not, in fact, even acknowledged that Chase has been holding in, skirting around that verbiage. But that is exactly what Chase has done since training camp started, despite being “visible and involved” while others practiced.
We don’t know where things go from here, or why Chase was absent yesterday, but he could be holding out. The San Francisco 49ers have one player—Brandon Aiyuk—holding in and one—Trent Williams—holding out. The difference, for those who may require the explanation, is that holdouts don’t show up to training camp at all. Players who hold-in participate with the team in every way except for on-field drills.
That is what Chase had been doing, but perhaps he is changing his tactics. The Bengals in no way indicated that they gave him an excused absence, which subjects him to a fine. Considering he has already earned over $15 million, he feels he can afford it, evidently.
The fifth-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Ja’Marr Chase has been one of the best receivers in the league for his entire career. In 45 career games, he has 268 receptions for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns. Even playing substantially without Joe Burrow last season, he still caught 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns.
A perennial Pro Bowler, Chase’s body of work certainly entitles him to a top contract at his position. The issue is the Bengals have him under contract through 2025 due to the fifth-year option, even though he is eligible for an extension now.
Not every team is willing to extend non-quarterback first-round picks after three seasons, as Ja’Marr Chase is learning. The Cleveland Browns did so for Myles Garrett, but T.J. Watt had to wait until entering his fifth season.
In July, Bengals owner Mike Brown said that a new deal for Chase was “not so likely”. “The offseason is a better time for that and we’re going to try to keep focused on the football part”, he said, but Chase is not out there working on the football parts.
Earlier this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings made Chase’s college teammate, Justin Jefferson, the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. They signed him to a $35 million APY contract, and Chase surely would like to hit a similar mark. As of this writing, there are four wide receivers earning $30 million APY or better. Chase will certainly join that club, but it looks like the Bengals intend to make him wait.
