Bengals Beat: Ja’Marr Chase Lays It All Out With Bengals, Officially Questionable Sunday, Tee Higgins Doubtful With Hamstring, Kris Jenkins Jr. Surgery Set

CINCINNATI — The world finally heard from Ja’Marr Chase on Friday as he held court in front of his locker for over 11 minutes.

It sounded somewhat therapeutic in nature but Chase, as he often does, didn’t leave too much for interpretation. He was direct about his frustration initially with the Bengals after he says they approached him in the offseason about an extension.

“I did not ask for a contract or demand a contract this year,” were the opening words from Chase about the negotiations that began before training camp. The tone was set by Chase, and not by accident.

Bengals owner Mike Brown indicated that the Bengals would “bend over backwards” to get a deal done with the No. 1 receiver on the roster and one of the premier receivers in the NFL. Have they done that?

“They have now, yes,” was Chase’s answer.

What if he takes the field Sunday without a new extension? How much does Chase want to be a leader on a team with Super Bowl expectations?

“If this contract situation doesn’t go through it’s back to where my focus is and that’s being a leader for this team and being who I am,” Chase told me.

The numbers are out there for comps. Justin Jefferson got $140 million over four years with a $36.9 million signing bonus and $110 million guaranteed. CeeDee Lamb ($136 million/four years, $38 million, $100 million), Amon-Ra St. Brown ($120 million/four years, $16 million, $77 million), Brandon Aiyuk ($120 million/4 years, $23 million, $76 million).

We have no idea where the Bengals first proposal came in or where the follow-up that piqued Chase’s interest stands. But rest assured, Chase doesn’t plan to accept a deal that puts him in the Jefferson stratosphere.

Some of the biggest highlights from Chase’s 11-minute session Friday with the media in front of his locker:

• * He says he’s fully healthy, probably will be limited if he plays Sunday. “Game-time decision” is “his call”
• * Chase says he’s got “a good 40 to 50 (snaps) in me” for Sunday. Says he usually does around 60.
• * “If I do (play), I’ll have to. It’s just like one game into the next week. I’ve got to forget about every mistake that’s been done and onto the next.”
• * Confident a deal will get done. His personal deadline was today. Could happen by kickoff Sunday
• * Willing to play Sunday and this season without an extension. “Bet on myself”
• * Took major issue with the “one penny more than Justin Jefferson” report “If I wanna beat Justin, I’m going to beat the the s*&t out of Justin, not by a penny, bro.”
• * Does it feel like Bengals made good to “bend over backwards” to get an extension done with Chase “Now it does, yes.”
• * “I love Cincinnati. It’s a beautiful place to be.”
• * Does he think he’s best receiver in NFL “I know for a fact I am.”
• * Chase says he had only one offseason throwing session with Joe Burrow (in LA) until returning On Aug. 25. Chase has practiced with Burrow Aug. 25, 26 and Sept. 4 through Friday.

Chase wanted to make it clear that the Bengals came to him about the extension, not the other way around. Presumably, this is to underscore that the Bengals are the ones truly concerned about him not hitting free agency after next year.

Chase knows his value to the Bengals. He made that much clear Friday. He understands that the Bengals look at the market set by Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb and IF he agrees to an extension, he wants a number commensurate with those two superstar receivers.

Why?

Because Chase believes he is the best receiver in football. “I know for a fact I am,” as was noted above.

Posturing in negotiations doesn’t mean much without statistical and factual support.

Cincinnati’s 2021 first-round draft pick has led the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in each his first three seasons and has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first three years.

He is one of eight players in NFL history (one of two Bengals, alongside former wideout A.J. Green) to reach 1000 receiving yards three straight seasons to begin his career.

He posted a career-high 100 catches in 2023, tied with former Carl Pickens (1996) for the second
most in a season in team history. His nine career TD receptions of 50 or more yards are the most in the NFL since 2021.

He holds Bengals postseason career records for receptions (45) and receiving yards (588). Won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021, as his 1455 receiving yards set a Bengals single-season record and at the time were the second most in league history by a rookie (now third; Oilers WR Bill Groman [1473 in 1960] and L.A. Rams WR Puka Nacua [1486 in 2023].

In short, as Joe Burrow famously said after clinching the AFC North in 2021 against the Chiefs, “F it. Ja’Marr is down there somewhere. Just throw it up to him. He’s going to make a play.”

That’s the basis of the value of Chase to Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. That’s what the Bengals are trying to put a value on right now and for the foreseeable future. With Joe Burrow, the Bengals are a perennial playoff team. With Burrow throwing to Chase and other assorted weapons, they’re a Super Bowl contender.

The Tee problem:
Tee Higgins injured his hamstring Thursday during practice and is now doubtful for Sunday’s opener against the Patriots.

Zac Taylor said he “tweaked” it during practice.

Joe Burrow confirmed Wednesday the Bengals have a plan for Ja’Marr Chase being available and not available Sunday. Now, the Bengals must adjust for the likely loss of Higgins for a week. But Taylor said he doesn’t worry about that because of his staff.

“It’s as good as any team in the league could be,” Taylor told me. “I mean, we’re on it, our coaches are on it, our players are on it. We’ve got really smart guys that can handle a lot, whether this happens, whether injuries happen during the week or Saturday or pregame warm up, or first play of the game. We’ve seen it all. So I think that’s the benefit of having a staff that’s been together for so long. We can pinpoint moments (where) this has happened at any time in the week, and our players have to, so they have to know how to adjust. And so we’ve got a really good group that is ready for anything.”

No Mims, Jenkins:
Zac Taylor said Kris Jenkins will miss this week with surgery on his thumb after an injury in practice. That means that the interior line depth is Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill, Zach Carter and Jay Tufele. The Bengals will not take a chance with first-round rookie Amarius Mims, who was limited this week in practice. It will be Trent Brown starting at right tackle and Cody Ford backing him up. Ford started at right tackle in the final two preseason games.