Will Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Sit Out Games Without an Extension?

CINCINNATI – As Cincinnati Bengals training camp enters its fourth week, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase still doesn’t have a contract extension.

There’s one other thing Chase doesn’t have — an open line of conversation with former Bengals wide receiver and Ring of Honor inductee Chad Johnson.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter created a bit of a stir Monday morning with a tweet that Johnson “expects the Bengals and Ja’Marr Chase to get a long-term deal done this week. But in the event that they don’t, Johnson also believes Chase won’t step on the field without a new contract.”

Bengals Have All the Leverage in Ja’Marr Chase Contract Saga

Johnson conveyed his message on Schefter’s podcast Monday morning, but everything he said during the Chase discussion came couched with qualifiers such as “I believe” or “I think” or “probably.”

The only definitive answer came after Schefter asked Johnson if he had spoken with Chase.

“No.”

So this is not Johnson reporting anything. It’s the farthest thing from it. It’s pure speculation.

Chad said "probably" and "I think" a lot in this interview.
His most definitive answer was when Adam asked him if he's talked to Ja'Marr: "No."

It's speculation, not a report. Doesn't mean Chad is wrong, but he's not in an informed position.

Also, LOL at "Joe Burrow will not… https://t.co/ZBbmblnYUa

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) August 19, 2024

Schefter didn’t need to ask the question of whether Chase had spoken to anyone on the other side of the negotiations. Bengals owner and president Mike Brown or executive vice president Katie Blackburn aren’t seeking counsel from or providing updates to Johnson.

The funniest thing Johnson said in his interview with Schefter involved quarterback Joe Burrow, and it’s apparently the sole source of his belief that Chase will sit out games if he doesn’t get a new deal.

When Schefter asked Johnson how long into the regular season he could see the standoff with Bengals owner/president Brown lasting, Johnson said:

“I don’t think Mike would do that. And I don’t think Joe Burrow would allow Mike to do that.”

Burrow has a lot of sway within the Bengals organization, more than any other player in franchise history. But it’s not likely he would even attempt to get involved in another player’s contract business. And even if he did speak up, the front office isn’t going to let him dictate anything.

MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor

Remember this from last year?

“I’m confident we’ll be able to keep everybody.”

That was Burrow responding to a question about signing both Chase and Tee Higgins more than a month before the Bengals’ QB had even signed his extension.

Or this Burrow quote from his end-of-season news conference in January.

“Everybody’s expectation is Tee is going to be back.”

Not only did the Bengals fail to get an extension done with Higgins, they weren’t willing to negotiate after their initial offer that he and agent David Mulugheta scoffed at.

Brown has a long history of not blinking in these types of situations.

And the organization has a long-held policy of not negotiating these types of deals in season. The last player to sign a contract extension in season was center Trey Hopkins in December 2019, a three-year, $20.4 million deal.

Long snapper Clark Harris signed one-year, $1 million extensions in November 2018 and October 2017. Tackle Andrew Whitworth signed a one-year extension two weeks into the 2015 season after both sides went public with some unfortunate words.

There’s also not much precedence for non-quarterbacks getting extensions with more than one year left on their contract. Chase is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, and the Bengals already have exercised their fifth-year option that will pay the receiver $21.8 million in 2025.

While Chase did not participate in mandatory minicamp in June, he was present, avoiding a fine.

The same has been true in training camp. He’s been present for every practice except for one, and he accompanied the team on its trip to Chicago last week for the joint practice and preseason game.

Looks like this will be the first practice where Ja’Marr Chase isn’t present. He’s usually out here by the time the WRs are running routes on air, if not sooner.

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) August 13, 2024

If Chase were to sit out regular-season games, it would cost him $58,823 (1/17th of his $1 million base salary) for each one he misses.

Sitting out games isn’t going to make Brown do anything he wasn’t otherwise willing to do.

If anything, it could lead to the Bengals further digging in and flexing their leverage with the threat of using the franchise tag on Chase in 2026.

Even the schedule is in the Bengals’ favor. It would be one thing if Chase sat out and Cincinnati started 0-2 or worse, as was the case in Dallas in 1993 when Emmitt Smith sat out the first two games. The Cowboys lost both, relented, and signed him, then went on to win 15 of the next 17, including Super Bowl XXVIII.

The Bengals’ floor should be 3-1 through the first four games against the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, and Carolina Panthers — with or without Chase.

Cincinnati is at least a touchdown favorite in the three games other than the Chiefs.

FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter

Chase isn’t the first player to express frustration with the way the Bengals’ front office handles contract negotiations.

And he won’t be the first to concede.

Part of what has made Chase one of the league’s elite receivers is his ability to beat whatever leverage a cornerback may be using against him.

But the Cincinnati front office’s positioning is a different sort of leverage. It’s undefeated against some of the best to ever walk the halls of the franchise.

Expect to see Chase in uniform on Sept. 8 against the Patriots, with or without a new deal.