Joe Burrow sends strong message to Cincinnati Bengals on looming Ja'Marr Chase contract extension

Joe Burrow enters the offseason not knowing the future of his star wide receiver. Ja’Marr Chase is entering the final year of his rookie contract, potentially going through free agency if an extension with the Cincinnati Bengals cannot be agreed upon. If Chase were to hit the open market, the bidding war would be quite competitive but Burrow is hoping that does not happen.

During the NFL Pro Bowl Skill Challenges, Burrow was asked about Chase’s contract situation. He sent a strong message to the Bengals, wanting them to resign Chase. It’s not going to be cheap for Cincinnati but keeping QB1 happy might be the team’s priority.

“I don’t know what more he could show and do to prove himself,” Burrow said on ESPN. “We have several guys like that, who have stepped up for us, and deserve to be paid—deserve to be paid what they’re worth.”

Burrow and Chase go back to before their time in the NFL. The two won a national championship at LSU during the 2019 season and put up monster numbers in the SEC. Jumping to the next level has made no difference as the duo is one of the NFL’s most dangerous.

This year saw Chase turn into a first-team All-Pro as he won the NFL triple crown by leading the league in receptions (127), yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17.) It’s only been done twice this century, with Steve Smith doing so in 2005 and Cooper Kupp in 2021 — elite company for Chase.

Right now, another LSU product, Justin Jefferson, is currently the highest-paid receiver in the league. He is making $140 million over four years with around $110 million guaranteed. CeeDee Lamb is not too far behind at four years for $136 million with the Dallas Cowboys.

There were reports of Chase wanting one penny more than Jefferson but the Bengals receiver shot them down before the 2024 season began. He expects to get a whole lot more money than his former teammates in Baton Rouge.

“If I want to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the shit out of Justin,” Chase said ahead of Week 1. “Not by a penny.”

Putting up incredible numbers 17 weeks later, it’s easy to see Chase resetting the wide receiver market when his contract hits. Burrow is just hoping it’s with Cincinnati and he can keep throwing to a long-time target who has been elite.