Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been in embroiled in a contract standoff with the team, but quarterback Joe Burrow is expecting him to be ready for Week 1.
Chase returned to practice on Wednesday, ending his hold in with the Bengals and ensuring that he will be on the field when Cincinnati hosts the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“Great to have him back. Great player. A guy that we need to be our best,” Burrow told reporters, via the Bengals’ official X account.
Chase became eligible for a contract extension this offseason. He remains under team control through 2025, but he wanted some security beyond that point.
Given some of the other deals that were handed out to fellow wide receivers since the end of last season, Chase’s desire for a fresh contract is completely understandable.
However, it probably wasn’t all that advisable for Chase to miss all of training camp as the Bengals attempt to gear up for a Super Bowl run.
The Cincinnati Bengals can’t win if Ja’Marr Chase isn’t elite
Burrow may be the engine that runs Cincinnati’s offense, but Chase is Burrow’s most important piece.
The lethal quarterback-receiver duo has been playing together all the back to its LSU days, and the two stars have not missed a beat on the NFL level.
Since joining the league as a No. 5 overall pick of the Bengals in 2021, Chase has made three straight Pro Bowls. Last year, he hauled in 100 receptions for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games.
The 24-year-old’s best campaign to date actually acme during his rookie season, when he appeared in every contests and caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 scores. He then snared 87 balls for 1,046 yards while reaching the end zone nine times in 12 games in 2022.
Cincinnati boasts one of the league’s best receiver tandems in the form of Chase and Tee Higgins, the latter of whom may very well be playing his final year with the club.
The Bengals are known for their offense, so if they want to make another run to the Super Bowl this season, Chase will need to be at his best, just like Burrow says.
Whether or not Ja’Marr Chase is in game shape remains to be seen.
The Cincinnati Bengals went 9-8 and missed the playoffs last season, thanks much in part to Joe Burrow missing the back half of the year with a wrist injury.
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