Cincinnati Bengals Announce Huge Raise for Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t have an extension yet, but he is getting a huge raise.

The Bengals officially exercised the fifth-year option on Chase, a move that fully guarantees the No. 5 pick from the 2021 NFL Draft a salary of $21.8 million in 2025. Chase’s base salary this season is $1.1 million, and it also becomes fully guaranteed with the team with today’s transaction.

Bengals Exercise Fifth-Year Option on Ja’Marr Chase

The deadline for NFL teams to exercise the fifth-year option on their 2021 first-round pick(s) is May 2. But there was no reason for the Bengals to wait another week to make the obvious move.

The 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement set four levels of pay for players on the fifth-year option, and Chase falls into the top tier as someone who has made multiple Pro Bowls. The fifth-year option for players in the top tier is equal to the franchise tag number at their position.

The Bengals used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins earlier this offseason, which means his $21.8 million salary in 2024 will be fully guaranteed once he signs the tag.

The lowest tier for a fifth-year option Chase could have been in still would have paid him $14.3 million in 2025.

Ja’Marr Chase named Cincinnati chapter of the PFWA’s Media Cooperation Award winner.

“That’s crazy, guys,” Ted Karras said from across the locker room. “I thought I was gonna be a repeat winner.” pic.twitter.com/nUTT1JbItq

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) January 4, 2024

Chase has been eligible to sign a long-term extension since March 14, but neither he nor the Bengals appear to be in any hurry to get that done. Chase said in January he would be content to wait it out and see what Justin Jefferson and other top receivers sign for so that he can top them and reset the market.

“Hell, yeah,” he said with a laugh when asked the question.

Chase offered an idea of what he will be looking for from the front office in terms of the structure of the contract.

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

“I do need to see some more numbers from [Jefferson],” he added. “Tyreek Hill got us there, but (Jefferson) gonna get me there, too.”

KEEP READING: NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker 2024

Having $21.8 million guaranteed certainly won’t speed up Chase’s urgency to get a deal done. If he and the Bengals agree to a long-term extension before the 2025 season, the team would be able to restructure the $21.8 million.