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It's happened, it's finally happened: after weeks of anticipation, Ja'Marr Chase has officially returned to the field for the Cincinnati Bengals.
That's right, after spending much of the summer on the shelf as he pushed for a new contract with the Bengals, the former LSU receiver is expected to return on Sunday as his team gears up for a Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots, via Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
“The Bengals open the regular season two weeks from today against the Patriots,” Pelissero wrote. “With time getting short to be ready, Ja'Marr Chase returned to the field today.”
What does this mean about Chase's contract situation? Do the Bengals have something lined up with Chase that will make him among the highest-paid receivers in football? Or have the two sides simply agreed to a truce, with the LSU receiver's camp agreeing that any distractions off the field could limit everyone's ceiling this fall? Only time will tell, but it's encouraging to learn that this hold-in won't hold out into the regular season, as even a team like the Patriots could steal a win from Joe Burrow and company if everyone isn't on the same page.
Ja'Marr Chase has earned a massive payday with the Bengals
Despite being a top-5 wide receiver in the NFL through his first four seasons with the Bengals, Chase really hasn't been paid like one, with his biggest annual paycheck clocking in at just $8.4 million, according to Spotrac.
Now granted, he does have a pretty significant number on the books for 2025 coming his way in a $21.8 million fifth-year option, but considering how much money players like Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson are making in 2024, that's a downright bargain for Cincinnati.
According to Spotrac, Chase is worth something in the realm of $30.9 million a year, and frankly, considering where the salary cap and NFL as a whole are going, giving Chase that kind of contract now is a borderline no-brainer. Why? Because the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL now might only be the fifth or sixth-highest-paid receiver by the time said deal starts in 2026, and getting a player of Chase's caliber at that sort of financial discount can only spell success for the Bengals as they look to build a long-term contender around Burrow and company.
No, unless Chase suffers a career-ending injury this fall, locking him up on a long-term contract has to be priority number one for Cincinnati for the long-term viability of their roster.
