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Bengals owner says team will ‘bend over backwards’ to extend Ja’Marr Chase

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton•07/23/24•

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ja'marr chase bengals
Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ja’Marr Chase showed up at Bengals training camp Tuesday, sporting a new, clean-shaven look. His reps and Cincinnati also are negotiating a contract that could add more zeroes to his checking account.

Whether that deal comes this summer or next off season remains to be seen. But team owner Mike Brown promised a new contract will come Chase’s way.

“He’s a key player,” Brown told reporters as the Bengals reported to training camp. “Next to Joe (Burrow), he’s our next one, and he knows it. We know it. This may take a while.

“We are gonna bend over backwards to get it done. I can’t tell you when though.”

Speaking of Burrow, both the quarterback and his top receiver sported new looks for training camp. Chase shaved his dreadlocks. Meanwhile, Burrow buzzed his hair, then dyed what’s left a platinum blonde.

Bengals president said new deal may not come until after season

Chase may have to wait on his money. Brown said training camp isn’t a “good time to negotiate.” He added that “the offseason is a better time for that and we’re going to try to keep focused on the football part.

“I’m not going to rule anything out, but I will tell you that the die has probably been cast.”

Waiting a year might not be a bad idea for Chase. The receiver market is sizzling this off-season and should only go higher next year.

The market reset by $5 million this off-season. Justin Jefferson, Chase’s teammate at LSU, is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL after signing a four-year deal worth $140 million. Eagles star A.J. Brown ($32 million) and Lions’ standout Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30.002 million) also signed big deals this off-season.

Receiver market will get more expensive

All three are now ahead of Tyreek Hill ($30 million) of the Dolphins, who had been the highest paid the past two seasons. Hill’s teammate Jaylen Waddle ($28.2 million) agreed to a new contract to nudge ahead of Davante Adams ($28 million) of the Raiders. Then there’s Rams receiver Cooper Kupp, who makes $26.7 million, and Eagles DeVonta Smith, who pulls down $25 million.

Now consider that the Cowboys could make CeeDee Lamb the highest-paid receiver before the season starts, knocking Jefferson into second place. Whatever the sum, it’ll probably be higher than Hill’s $30 million, which had been the ceiling coming into the off-season. Plus, the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk likely will come to an agreement, or the 49ers will trade him to a team that will do a new deal.

The Bengals selected Chase in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons, with the Burrow-Chase tandem being one of the best in the league.

Even with Burrow missing a chunk of last season because of injury, Chase still posted a career-high 100 receptions for 1,216 yards. He already owns Bengals team records for receiving yards in a game (266) and season (1,455). Plus, he owns the Bengals standard for receptions in a game with 15.