One of the more bizarre sagas in the NFL currently revolves around Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and his ongoing contract dispute with the franchise. Despite holding out of training camp and some Bengals team activities, Chase has now attended multiple practices this week, despite no traction evidently having been made on a new deal, hanging a major cloud over his potential availability for week one vs the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Many Bengals fans on Thursday were keeping their eyes peeled for updates on X, formerly Twitter, about Chase's status for that day's practice, and they got a positive one when a video surfaced from ESPN's Ben Baby showing Chase and a teammate in pads and gear crossing the street on their way to practice.

It was the second straight day that Chase had appeared at practice following the holdout, and at this point, it's unclear if the holdout is in fact still going on or if there has been at least some sort of mutual understanding reached between the two sides.

One factor that has surely affected things is the fact that both CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson inked new deals this offseason that will have them making more money than Chase, despite having two years left on his own contract.

What is the Bengals' ceiling this year?

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) stretches during training, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at the Kettering Health Practice Fields outside of Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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If Chase is indeed in the lineup, the Bengals would figure to be one of the stronger challengers to the reigning two time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs anywhere in the NFL landscape.

2023-24 was somewhat of a lost season for the Bengals as the team stumbled out of the gates and ultimately wound up losing star quarterback Joe Burrow for the season due to an injury.

However, Burrow is now back and healthy and the Bengals still have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, as well as the pedigree that comes with having gone on multiple deep postseason runs, even if they haven't reached the ultimate goal quite yet.

Ja'Marr Chase obviously plays a huge role in that potential success. Chase is at worst a top five receiver in the NFL, and many people would have him as high as number two or three. Chase has made several huge plays in big time playoff moments for the Bengals over the years, so needless to say, fans will be hopeful he is out there on Sunday vs the Patriots.

That game is slated to kick off at 1:00 PM ET from Cincinnati.