Ja’Marr Chase is expected to remain with the Cincinnati Bengals beyond the 2024 season. But until he puts pen to paper, the All-Pro receiver’s future with the team is far from certain.
Chase may have inadvertently fueled possible speculation about his future on Friday after he was asked about his motivation for the final five games of the season. While they haven’t been eliminated, Cincinnati (4-8) will likely miss the playoffs for the second straight year.
“What motivates me the most this year with the (team) record is just making memories with the guys I have around me,” Chase said, via The Athletic. “Who knows what will happen next year?”
Chase was likely referring to the Bengals roster as a whole, as the team is expected to make sweeping changes this offseason, especially in a defense that has woefully underperformed this season. However, there is a chance that Chase was alluding to his uncertain future after he and the Bengals were unable to come to terms on a new contract this offseason.
Chase, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has increased his market value substantially this season. He currently leads all wide receivers in receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Chase currently has his sights set on breaking his own single-season franchise receiving record of 1,455 yards that he set during his rookie season.
Given his success this year, Chase will likely seek a contract that makes him the highest-paid catcher in the league. Bengals owner Mike Brown has said the team’s priority is retaining quarterback Joe Burrow and the team’s top receivers. But the team is not expected to re-sign catcher Tee Higgins, who is playing this season under the franchise tag. And given the Bengals’ need to revamp their defense, it’s fair to wonder if they’re considering changing their plans regarding Chase.
Again, the Bengals are expected to sign Chase and keep the league’s best QB-WR duo intact for several years to come. But given his checkered history with contracts, his previously failed attempts to extend Chase and the team’s other pressing needs, the odds that Chase could be playing out his final weeks in a Bengals uniform appear to be increasing, even if slightly.
