Ja’Marr Chase’s status for Sunday’s season opener? ‘Game-time decision’

Meanwhile, fellow Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game after he tweaked his hamstring in practice Thursday. Chase practiced for a third straight day since returning from his training camp “hold in,” but Higgins did not practice. Chase is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. That could leave quarterback Joe Burrow without one of, or both of his top two receivers against the Patriots.

Chase said there’s “a small chance” an extension could get done before Sunday, but the ball is in the Bengals’ court if they want to guarantee he plays. Otherwise, Chase is holding the cards, and he made that clear when he briefly started practicing last week until coach Zac Taylor told media he expected Chase to continue doing so and play Week 1.

In his first interview with local media since the end of the 2023 season, Chase said he is willing to play without an extension but he hasn’t decided yet if he will.

“It’s my decision,” Chase said. “How about that?”

Chase opened a media scrum in front of his locker by saying he never asked or demanded an extension, but the Bengals told him during the offseason they would get him a long-term deal. Bengals owner Mike Brown called him the team’s top priority behind Burrow last year, then told reporters at a pre-training camp media luncheon the organization would “bend over backwards” to get it done.

Training camp came and went, with Chase merely observing, and the parties have gotten closer, as Chase described the situation, but “a few numbers need to be switched around and change other places.”

“It’s kind of tough,” Chase said. “I mean, we’ve been doing this for the past six months, seven months, bro, going back and forth. It’s been a long process, you know? So, I mean, I’m pretty sure they know what I want.”

Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb reset the wide receiver market this summer, and Chase is the last of the players at his position still trying to get an extension done.

Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million extension with the Vikings in June, putting him at an average annual value of $35 million, which is higher than any receiver in the NFL. The Cowboys inked Lamb to a four-year, $136 million deal that includes a $38 million signing bonus, which is the largest ever signing bonus given to a wide receiver.

“Justin and CeeDee set the market,” Chase said, when asked if what he wanted in a contract has changed. “The market’s been set, so this is written for me. I’m not writing it.”

Asked if the Bengals’ offer reflects what Brown said about him being a top priority, Chase said: “Now it does, yes.”

That seems to indicate Cincinnati has made some concessions to get closer to what Chase wants, but Chase had a deadline in his head for Friday to be the last day he would negotiate. He will take it up to Sunday and is willing to re-negotiate next year if it doesn’t get done before then.

“I can say, it’s been a long process,” Chase said. “You know, it’s been pretty aggravating for the most part, but I try not to let my feelings get in the way, bringing it to work and affecting the guys that’s practicing.”

Chase said he’s confident a long-term deal will happen at some point because he and the Bengals both know his worth, but it was frustrating seeing some of the rumors and speculation about his contract online. He didn’t want to talk publicly about the situation until now. The important thing, he said, was he felt like he had the support of his teammates throughout the process.

One report had indicated Chase wanted a penny more than what Jefferson got. Chase and Jefferson were teammates at LSU and share a friendly rivalry as they compete to be the “best receiver” in the game.

“If I want to beat Justin, I’m gonna beat the (expletive) out of Justin,” Chase said. “Not by a penny, brother.”

Later, Chase clarified that isn’t a challenge for the Bengals.

“I’m not really looking to go a lot higher,” Chase said. “It’s not really me trying to beat him out, me trying to go crazy. It’s just, you know, what’s right.”

Longevity is the biggest concern, he said, as he risks injury while playing without the extension. However, Chase knows “for a fact” that he is the best receiver in the league and there’s a chance if he plays this season without a new contract, he could end up making more money.

Chase still has two years left on his rookie contract, thanks to his fifth-year option (worth $21.8 million) the Bengals exercised in April.

“I’ll bet on myself,” he said. “I’ll take a chance if I have to.”

Chase said if he plays Sunday, he will likely be limited, but he estimated he could still play 40-50 snaps. He said he is normally at around 60. He was running and doing his own workouts throughout training camp and began throwing again with Burrow about two weeks ago, he said.

As someone who cares about the team, Chase said he at least wanted to be around practices to support his teammates, which was why he was “holding in,” rather than “holding out.” He believes he will be able to put frustrations aside and play if it comes to that because he wants to win a Super Bowl with Cincinnati.

“That’s what it’s all about for me at the end of the day,” Chase said. “So if this contract situation doesn’t go through, it’s back to what my focus is, and it’s on this team and being a leader and just being who I am.”