Cincinnati Bengals exercise Ja'Marr Chase's fifth-year option
The Cincinnati Bengals will have Ja’Marr Chase through at least the 2025 season. On Wednesday, the Bengals announced it has exercised a team option on the star wide receiver by one year. Chase was a first-round selection by the Bengals in 2021, and the team had the option of extending his four-year rookie contract.
Chase will make $21.82 million in 2025 since he has been named to the Pro Bowl last least twice. It’s likely the Bengals will try to get a long-term contract done with Chase before his rookie deal expires since he’s become the top target for quarterback Joe Burrow.
Chase is coming off a 2023 season where caught 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2022, the former LSU Tigers star registered 87 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 after catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Ja’Marr Chase made NFL history during his rookie season
In his three seasons in the NFL, Chase already has multiple NFL records. He has the most receiving yards in a season, including a postseason, by a rookie (1,823 in 2021). Chase also has the record for most receiving yards in a game by a rookie (266 in 2021) and receiving yards in a postseason by a rookie (328 in 2021).
In October, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor talked about how he likes how Chase can be a little blunt with the media. “He works as hard as anybody, which when you work as hard as anybody, you’re allowed to have some confidence and talk like that,” Taylor said, per the Bengals’ official website. I’ve got problems with people that don’t work hard. And then if you say things that are maybe on the fringe, on the line a little bit, you don’t put in the work, you’re not doing all the things Ja’Marr does. When he combines that with confidence that makes him the type of player he is, that gives him the edge he’s got. I love that about him.
“We ask a lot of him in practice. He runs and he doesn’t complain. He doesn’t make a mental error due to not paying attention … “He’s got a great understanding because he switches positions all the time. He plays all three spots. He moves more than anybody. He lines up in the backfield, he motions to the backfield. He’s got to know everything and he does and he works his tail off in practice.