The Cincinnati Bengals are a day away from the start of their 2024 NFL season. Yet, the team’s offense could be without one of their best weapons on offense as receiver Ja’Marr Chase continues to play negotiating chicken on a new contract. And a new report indicates he is more than willing to leave his teammates high and dry in Week 1 of the season.
What is Ja’Marr Chase trying to get from the Cincinnati Bengals?
During the summer, San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk garnered a great deal of headlines for his holdout as he pursued a contract extension from the team. His financial maneuverings were nothing new for NFL stars. Since so many before him have taken the same approach in the final years of their contracts.
However, the situation between the Bengals and Chase is a bit different since he has not one, but two seasons left on his current deal. It’s why the situation has not gotten as much media coverage, because the assumption has always been that something would be worked out.
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Yet, here we are a day out from the team’s season opener and there is no guarantee Chase will suit up for Cincy in their game against the New England Patriots. While the Aiyuk extension was finally completed this week, the Bengals receiver is reportedly looking for as much, or one cent more than the record-setting contract contemporary Justin Jefferson signed earlier this year.
The salary implications of such a deal have severely slowed contract talks and Chase’s strong stance about not playing without a new pact has created serious drama ahead of the Bengals’ first game in 2024.
Ja’Mar Chase ‘definitely willing’ to miss Cincinnati Bengals game in Week 1
As recently as this week, there was a lot of hope that the three-time Pro Bowler would be on the field and available for the team on Sunday. However, on Saturday, Pro Football Talk NFL insider Mike Florio gave an update that kills some of the anticipation that Chase would play this weekend.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Chase is definitely willing to skip the game,” Florio wrote. “Which would explain why he’s a very rare ‘healthy questionable.'”
Ja’Marr Chase showed up on this week’s injury report despite no indication of any health issue after sitting out of most team activities and preseason games this summer. The contract he is looking for would pay him $35 million per season.
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