Yes, Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase made Chicago trip for NFL preseason vs. Bears

Yes, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase made Chicago trip for NFL preseason vs. Bears

Posted by author August 15, 2024 NFL

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase made the trip to Chicago for the Thursday joint practice and Saturday NFL preseason game against the Bears, according to an X post by the team.

Chase, who has yet to practice during training camp and preseason, is eligible for a contract extension as he enters his fourth year in the NFL.

Justin Jefferson, Chase’s college teammate at LSU and the Minnesota Vikings’ top wide receiver, signed a new contract in July. Chase had said he was waiting to see the deal Jefferson signed before he would start negotiations on a new contract with the Bengals. Jefferson is entering his fifth year in the NFL.

Bengals owner and president Mike Brown said signing Chase was a priority for the Bengals, but he didn’t commit to a timeline to get the deal done.

Chase has joined a fraternity of NFL players taking part in a “hold-in,” where the players are present but don’t participate in practice without a new deal. The new deal is important because it guarantees money over the term of the extension, which protects the player in case they suffer a major injury.

Tee Higgins, who signed his franchise tender in April, will play on the franchise tag for $21.8 million this year. The Bengals picked up Chase’s fifth-year option in March and could use the franchise tag on him for two years beyond that, meaning they control his rights through the 2027 season.