How the Bengals can retain Ja’Marr Chase for the long haul.
What’s the Holdup on Ja’Marr’s deal?
It’s been the talk of the Cincinnati Bengals all off-season long. From training camp, to the talk shows on ESPN and more, the question has been simple: When will Ja’Marr Chase receive a new deal from the Cincinnati Bengals? That question hasn’t been answered, and because of that, Chase missed all of training camp and the preseason. In fact, Ja’Marr Chase held out until the last minute, finally being declared active on Saturday, just one day before the season kicked off.
Chase has been seeking a new deal for some time, dating back to last season. The Bengals first had to lock up Joe Burrow, which they did, with a 5-year, $275 million deal at the beginning of last season. Now that it is Ja’marr Chase’s turn, things in Cincinnati have become somewhat hostile. Chase is one of the best receivers in all of football, and he has had to watch multiple receivers get their payday. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Calvin Ridley all received huge deals this off-season. Looking forward to a possible contract, Chase will likely slot somewhere between Lamb and Jefferson. He has been quoted saying he wants to “earn one more penny than Justin Jefferson”, his former teammate at LSU. While it is possible he will see that kind of money, let’s take a look at what the contract extension would look like.
What Does a Ja’Marr Chase Extension Look Like?
The Cincinnati Bengals are in uncharted waters with Ja’Marr Chase when it comes to his contract. In the past, the Bengals largest extension for a wide receiver came when they extended A.J. Green with a 4-year, $60 million deal in 2015. The market is no longer that “cheap” for a great receiver. Justin Jefferson received the most expensive non-QB contract in NFL history this year when he inked a 4-year, $140 million extension. For the Bengals, who have notably been quite frugal, that’s a lot of money. Jefferson’s AAV (average annual value) sits at $35 million a year. CeeDee Lamb received a 4-year, $136 million extension, which puts his AAV at $34 million.
The Deals
If the Bengals were to sign Ja’Marr Chase to a contract today, it would have to likely look something like this to fit into their cap plans. This first contract will not include future plans for Tee Higgins.
Deal #1: 4 years, $140.01 million, $88.8 million guaranteed, $37 million signing bonus.
This deal would be the Bengals going all out to keep their number one receiver for Joe Burrow. His AAV would be $35.025 million a year, satisfying his request of being paid more than Jefferson while being practical towards the cap. If you include Tee Higgins in the future plans, the deal may have to look a little different years wise, but the money would remain the same.
Deal #2: 5 years, $140.01 million, $88.8 million guaranteed, $37 million signing bonus.
This deal for Cincinnati would be significantly better, as it would drop Ja’Marr Chase’s AAV to $28 million a year, but it would result in more money than Jefferson still, and allow Cincinnati to keep Higgins in town as well. This deal would be more practical on the pockets of Mike Brown as well, keeping everyone happy in Cincy.
Final Thoughts
Ja’Marr Chase is a valuable asset to this Cincinnati Bengals team. He is one of the best receivers in all of football, and has an undeniable rapport with Joe Burrow. If the Bengals want to keep everyone happy, and keep their Super Bowl window open, they should definitely extend Ja’Marr Chase as soon as possible. The possibility of him sitting out games during the season is too great, and the Bengals cannot afford to lose him. If the Bengals are serious about winning, they’ll hammer out a deal with Chase sooner rather than later. Anything short of a deal would result in disaster for the Cincinnati Bengals.
