Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was back on the practice field on Wednesday. Videos surfaced online showing Chase, dressed for practice and holding his helmet, walking alongside teammate Tee Higgins. Earlier in the day, head coach Zac Taylor was uncertain about Chase’s participation, stating, “We’ll see.” There was no confirmation on whether Chase actually took part in practice.
Chase, 24, had been listed as day-to-day earlier in the week as the Bengals prepared for their season opener against the New England Patriots on Sunday. The ongoing contract dispute, which has kept him out of training camp and the preseason, remains unresolved.
Reports indicate that Chase attended a team meeting and that discussions about his contract extension are still in progress. Chase is aiming for a deal similar to his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million contract, which surpasses the $32 million per year deal of Eagles wideout A.J. Brown. Other recent wide receiver contracts include Amon-Ra St. Brown’s four-year, $30.002 million per year with the Lions and CeeDee Lamb’s four-year, $136 million deal with the Cowboys.
Chase, who caught 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns last season, is currently in the final year of his four-year rookie contract, with a base salary of $1.055 million and a fifth-year team option worth $21.8 million for 2025. Since being drafted No. 5 overall in 2021, he has recorded 268 catches for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in 45 games with the Bengals.
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