Ja’Marr Chase is one of, if not the best wide receiver in the NFL. At just age 24, Chase has had at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons. Last year was his best, racking up 127 receptions for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Chase is under contract through the 2025 season, but if the Cincinnati Bengals want to keep him long-term, it will not be cheap.
Ja’Marr Chase Expected To Command $40 Million Per Season
Although the Bengals have Ja’Marr Chase under contract for another year, there is no reason to delay extending him. Chase is one of the best playmakers in football and the Bengals offense has been elite ever since drafting him. The trio of quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase, and wide receiver Tee Higgins has proved to be extremely tough for opposing defenses to stop. The franchise is coming off of a Super Bowl appearance in the 2021 season as well as an AFC Championship Game appearance in the 2022 season. However, paying a non-quarterback $40 million dollars is no easy task. Cincinnati will likely be limited financially in the future if they decide to pursue this deal with Chase.
Benefits of an extension
The main and obvious benefit to extending Ja’Marr Chase long-term is that the Bengals would be locking up a top receiver entering his prime. Chase fits perfectly with the Bengals contending window. With Joe Burrow at quarterback, the Bengals will always have a chance in the AFC. Burrow himself is in his prime, as he is now 28 years old. These two players have been together since their college days at LSU and it shows on the field. Burrow almost threw for 5,000 yards this season and he would not have come close to this number without Chase. Throw in Tee Higgins and this is one of the most dangerous passing offenses in football.
Drawbacks of a massive deal
Although Ja’Marr Chase is extremely dynamic, this price extension could end up being a costly decision. Even though Burrow and Chase were lethal through the air this season, the Bengals still missed the playoffs. This was mainly due to their defense which struggled all season. Cincinnati gave up the 7th most yards per game this season along with tied for the 7th most points allowed. If the team opts to extend Chase, they will not have much money left over to fill out the rest of the roster. Not to mention, Tee Higgins will also play next season on the franchise tag. The Bengals have a lot to worry about financially.
Joe Burrow already has a massive contract on the books for Cincinnati. With his deal, Higgins’ free agency looming, and Chase’s extension looming in 2026, the Bengals salary cap situation could get really tight.
What is their best course of action?
The Cincinnati Bengals best course of action is to extend Ja’Marr Chase. The bottom line is, Cincinnati has seen that as long as they have Burrow and Chase healthy, they can compete in any season in the AFC. Although the rest of the roster has areas that need to be addressed, that is no reason to let one of the franchise’s young offensive cornerstones walk away.
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