Ja’Marr Chase mentioned that he and the Cincinnati Bengals are close to finalizing a new contract, and he added that whether he plays on Sunday against the New England Patriots is up to him.
Chase missed most of the preseason and just returned to practice two weeks ago. He said that negotiating the new deal has been stressful.
“It’s a learning process for me,” Chase said. “I’m figuring out how to handle the situation and keep my emotions out of it.”
Chase is listed as questionable for the season opener. If he does play, he might be limited since he hasn’t practiced much.
Since the Bengals drafted him No. 5 overall from LSU in 2021, Chase has become one of the NFL’s top receivers. He has 268 catches for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in the past three seasons.
This offseason, other star receivers like Justin Jefferson of Minnesota and CeeDee Lamb of Dallas signed big contracts.
Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow, who also played at LSU, only practiced together once during the offseason but have been working to rebuild their connection in recent weeks.
“I’m fitting into the offense well,” Chase said. “The key thing is the timing with Joe, and we’ve got that sorted out recently.”
If the deal isn’t completed, Chase said he will focus on leading the Bengals and helping them get back to the Super Bowl.
“It’s about being a leader and staying true to who I am,” he said.
Chase had hoped to finalize the agreement by Friday and said that there’s still a chance it could happen.
“There’s a small chance, but who knows what could happen in the next few hours?” Chase said.
