Ja’Marr Chase contract saga with Bengals analyzed by insider

Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase continues to mostly dominate the NFL conversation.

Chase’s “hold-in” saga with the team continued in Chicago, where he traveled with the team and was at practice on Thursday ahead of the preseason game against the Bears.

Most of the starters won’t play in that exhibition so onlookers won’t get to judge whether Chase would’ve ended the “hold-in” either way, though.

Still, it’s safe to assume he wouldn’t have because…there’s just not a rush. That’s something Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer just touched on in a mailbag when asked if a Chase extension happens before the season:

That said, my sense is Chase’s side hasn’t been in some massive rush to get a deal done, and I’d think there are two reasons for that, which play into one another. First, Justin Jefferson’s deal, done at $35 million per year, is so far above where the market had been previously that it’s complicated the other remaining high-end receiver negotiations. Second, waiting for CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk could bring more clarity.

There’s been zero sense of a rush to any of this. Chase has been there and in a borderline coaching role with the team this training camp. Maybe some talks are happening behind the scenes now that Justin Jefferson reset the market, sure.

But the Bengals probably wouldn’t mind to wait until next offseason. Neither would Chase, really, not when his pricetag probably just booms again if they wait.

But there is the matter of waiting on CeeDee Lamb and seeing what Brandon Aiyuk gets if he’s traded or extended in San Francisco — just in case. Until one or both of those guys have their situations sorted out, it’s safe to presume Chase isn’t going to risk injury — especially when he doesn’t need all that long to get his timing with Joe Burrow back to full-go, anyway.

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