Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase returns to practice

Cincinnati held a light session Sunday but it was closed to media.

Chase did not participate in any on-field activities this offseason or during training camp, while he chose to sit out amid contract negotiations. He was present for all but one practice this summer, but only watched from the sidelines.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor had been describing Chase’s absence as “part of the plan” but more recently he said they were “taking it day by day” with Chase.

Owner and president Mike Brown said last month during a pre-camp luncheon with media that the organization would “bend over backward” to get a contract extension done for Chase, who still has two seasons left on his rookie deal thanks to a fifth-year option that was triggered earlier this year.

Brown indicated normally those deals are done before camp but said the hope was to get something done “sooner rather than later.”

Chase had said in various interviews last season that he wasn’t in a rush to get a contract extension until he could see where Justin Jefferson would land on his deal with Minnesota. Jefferson in June signed a four-year, $140 million deal with $88.7 million guaranteed.

It is believed that Chase wants something similar. He said guaranteed money was going to be the biggest factor for him, though the Bengals don’t usually offer much in that regard. Burrow was able to secure a guarantee for $219 million of his $275 million extension last September, and Brown had said last summer that Burrow and Chase were the organization’s top two priorities.

Chase is making just $1 million in base salary this year but earned a $3.8 million roster bonus by reporting to training camp, even though he didn’t participate. According to information on Sportac.com, he already had $25.9 million in career earnings to this point. He signed a four-year deal worth $30.8 million as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

The fifth-year option trigger guarantees him another $21.8 million in 2025, which is the same amount Tee Higgins is making this year on a franchise tag.

It’s unclear how much negotiating has happened between the Bengals and Chase to this point, but it clearly wasn’t to the point Chase felt comfortable enough with the situation to risk injury in camp and preseason. Now as the team is two weeks away from the season opener, he is gearing up to get ready.

Sources said Chase had still been doing work on his own and with quarterback Joe Burrow privately at times during camp. After a practice last Sunday, Chase was spotted hopping on a golf cart with assistant quarterbacks coach Fredi Knighten, who was holding a football, and head of security Mark Herren drove the duo in the direction of the team’s indoor practice facility.

The Bengals are scheduled to hold a light practice, closed to media, Monday as well.