Ja’Marr Chase contract: Bengals make offer to WR, sides remain far apart on talks for new deal, per report

The wide receiver room for the Cincinnati Bengals is one of the most fascinating position groups to follow this offseason. Already, it’s making noise, with the team electing to hit Tee Higgins with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. And that’s just one of the dominoes to fall. The biggest one is fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the team picked up his fifth-year option.

Chase is due an extension that is widely anticipated to reshape the market, but it doesn’t sound like we’re close to seeing that come to fruition. An offer has been made to Chase, but the two sides remain far apart, according to The Athletic.

The Bengals and Chase were unable to reach an agreement on an extension last offseason when he was first eligible, and have since tabled those talks. With Chase entering the final year of his deal, however, there’s even greater emphasis on getting something done. However, it won’t come cheap. Chase has the case to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. A deal of that magnitude would need to exceed the $140 million extension former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson signed with the Minnesota Vikings last offseason. 

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged at the NFL Scouting Combine last week that Chase will eventually “end up being the No. 1-paid non-quarterback in the league.” The highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL currently is Jefferson with a $35 million average annual salary, so Chase will eventually leapfrog over him. On his fifth-year option, Chase is currently set to make $21.8 million in 2025. 

While Tobin did express that the organization wants to “reward” Chase with this soon-to-be, Earth-shattering extension, there’s reportedly still a gap between the two sides, which will be worth monitoring. 

Chase has been arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL since Cincinnati selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 25-year-old is coming off his first first-team All-Pro season in 2024 where he led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. That’s pretty well-timed and quite the exclamation point as he returns to the negotiating table this offseason.