Adam Schefter, Ryan Clark offer odd Ja'Marr Chase contract takes

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has thrown the spotlight on himself to start training camp due to his lack of full participation in practice — as extension speculation runs rampant.

That extends to national media talking heads, who have zeroed in on the fact that Chase’s base salary in 2024 is $1.05 million. Other factors bump his earnings to $4.86 million total, but the fixation has become that $1 million mark.

That was the focal point of recent discussions on ESPN’s “NFL Live” with Adam Schefter and Ryan Clark.

Schefter, after seeing comments from Bengals president Mike Brown, said he must “question the Bengals’ strategy,” and Clark threw out some colorful descriptions to paint the scene.

“Being able to do what he’s done on the field? And now only making $1 million? You know what Mike Brown is essentially going to Ja’Marr Chase’s house and doing? He’s putting on a mask and saying, ‘Put the money in the bag.’ Because he is absolutely robbing him,” Clark said. “And so if you’re Ja’Marr Chase, you’re going to have to make a decision. Am I willing to hold out to get my money, when we know a ton of times when you have that first-round pick, they wait until after the fourth year to pay the wide receiver.”

All that said, much of the conversation around Brown’s comments tend to ignore the fact he said the team would “bend over backwards” to make sure Chase gets re-signed.

As of now, it’s unclear if the lack of an extension is due to the team or player and his reps. Chase has said he wants to wait on the market to set the bar. Justin Jefferson has recently signed ($140 million over four years), but names like CeeDee Lamb continue to wait.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, at least, confirmed that extension talks have happened. But the timeline that says an extension happens during the summer of 2025 appears to remain the likliest, no matter what the outside noise says.

For now, it appears the Bengals have a mini “hold-in” with Chase to start camp. But that won’t budge much in the grand scheme and there isn’t any sign that the star wideout might sit out games come the fall.