As everyone knows, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is in line for a huge payday. Chase has been one of the NFL’s best receivers since his rookie year and is eligible for a contract extension after the 2023 season.

We saw him “hold on” during training camp while rumors swirled about his readiness for the season, only to return to practice this past Sunday. Is Chase’s return to the practice field a sign of progress toward a new contract?

After the Dallas Cowboys secured star receiver CeeDee Lamb with a generous contract extension, many expect Chase to be next in line.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network recently discussed the negotiations between Chase and the Bengals and provided some interesting insights.

“From what I understand, both sides are still discussing a potential contract extension,” Rapoport said. “If he gets it, he would either be tied with Justin Jefferson as the highest-paid receiver or beat Justin Jefferson by a dime, which I think is actually Ja’Marr Chase’s goal.”

NFL Network colleague Mike Garafolo weighed in, saying the deadline to close a deal could be the Saturday before the Bengals host the New England Patriots.

As we see with contracts in the NFL, the next player to sign a contract wants to outbid the previous player. With Jefferson being the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, Chase may want to outbid that contract, even if it’s just by a penny.

What speaks against Chase is that his contract actually still has two years left. Both Jefferson and Lamb were in the final year of their respective contracts when they came to terms with their teams.

It’s not often that players are extended two years before their contract ends, but this could prove to be an advantage for the Bengals. Not only would a contract extension for Chase keep him under contract for another six seasons (assuming the extension is four years), but it would also allow the team to spread the money over multiple years of the contract. It would also lock Chase in before the receiver market explodes even more.

Last season, Joe Burrow’s contract was extended when the Kansas City Chiefs opened the NFL season against the Detroit Lions. Could something similar happen with Chase?

Additionally, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer offered this interesting take on how playing Chase in the slot more often could significantly impact the Bengals’ offense.

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