Bengals Executive Says There’s Been Zero Progress Toward a Ja’Marr Chase Extension

Much of the discussion regarding the Cincinnati Bengals and a wide receiver extension this offseason has focused on Tee Higgins, and for good reason. Yet, there has been zero progress on a new deal for Ja’Marr Chase.

That’s what Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn told reporters at the NFL Owners Meetings in Orlando, Florida, this week.

Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase in No Hurry To Negotiate Extension

“We haven’t started. That’s sort of the next thing is just to piece together some of those things to consider and give it some thought,” Blackburn said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway.

“I can’t say for sure where any of it will go,” Blackburn continued. “But we certainly are going to study up on it and see what we can figure out to try to get the best result we can for the club one way or another.”

Happy to celebrate our very own Katie Blackburn during Women's History Month 🧡 pic.twitter.com/26twoFfiCN

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 22, 2024

Both Chase and Higgins are eligible for extensions. Higgins has been since last season, but the sides never got anywhere close to an agreement. In February, Cincinnati placed the franchise tag on their 2020 second-round pick, guaranteeing Higgins $21.7 million this season.

Higgins balked at that and requested a trade, but there is no indication Bengals intend to honor his wish.

Meanwhile all is quiet on the Chase front, which isn’t surprising given the conflicting comments he made toward the end of last season. When discussing the possibility of negotiating an extension this offseason, Chase said, “Lord knows I want to do that. But we’ll see what happens.”

What Chase is waiting to see is what other receives sign for first, most notably his former college teammate Justin Jefferson, who is slated to play 2024 on the fifth-year option but could sign a market-altering extension at any point this offseason.

Asked if Jefferson’s situation would play a role in the timing of his own deal, Chase was emphatic and honest.

“Hell yeah,” he said.

Chase didn’t delve into numbers because he’s waiting to see where Jefferson and some other top receivers land. But he offered an idea of what he will be looking for in terms of the structure of the contract.

“Probably just up front (guaranteed money), for real,” Chase said.

What about guaranteed money in Year 2?

“I don’t know. You’re goin’ a little too far now,” Chase joked with a reporter. “I gave you a little spice. Don’t take all of it.”

While negotiations haven’t even begun between the Bengals and Chase, they’re still closer to working something out than the team is with Higgins. It was that lack of progress, coupled with the franchise tag decision, that led the receiver to request a trade.

Blackburn touched on the Higgins’ situation this week as well.

Knowing Higgins and Tyler Boyd were set to become free agents when he spoke that day, Chase said he would love to see the trio stick together but didn’t go as far as to say he would structure his deal in a manner that would allow for that. If it even happened in time to make that a possibility.

“They know I want them (to stay),” Chase said. “They know what I want, but at the end of the day, it’s what they want. I won’t hold nobody back from what they want. I’ll support anything they do. Those are my brothers.”

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