Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase reportedly practices for first time amid preseason contract dispute

Ja’Marr Chase is back at practice.

The Cincinnati Bengals‘ Pro Bowl wide receiver took part in a full practice on Sunday for the first time since the start of training camp, NFL Network reports.

Chase has been engaged in a hold-in throughout the preseason amid a contract dispute. He’s previously shown up to team facilities and has reportedly participated in some drills, but had yet to take part in a full team practice.

Chase does not have a new contract, according to the report. The status of his negotiations and whether he’ll receive a new deal before the start of the season is unclear.

What Ja’Marr Chase wants

Chase, 24, is approaching his fourth NFL season and wants an extension to his rookie contract. He’s emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL while making the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and Earned All-Pro honors during his 2021 rookie campaign.

Chase is approaching the final year of his initial four-year, $30.8 million contract and will be due $21.8 million in 2025 on a fifth-year team option. Top NFL receivers have signed contacts this offseason valued in excess of $35 million annually.

Minnesota Vikings All-Pro Justin Jefferson reset the market with a four-year, $140 million contract including $110 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in football. A.J. Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) each signed contracts worth more than $30 million per year.

The boom in the wide receiver market has resulted in contract disputes around the league for top receivers who haven’t signed lucrative extensions. Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb and San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk have both held out of training camp in search of a new deal.

Will Chase play Week 1 against the Patriots?

Chase’s appearance at practice on Sunday suggests a cooling of the dispute in Cincinnati. Whether it means that he’ll be on the field in Week 1 without a new deal is not clear.

The Bengals open the regular season on Sept. 8 against the New England Patriots. With quarterback Joe Burrow back healthy after an injury-riddled 2023 season, the Bengals are hoping to return to Super Bowl contention after advancing to the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl, respectively, in the previous two seasons.

A game-breaking receiver capable of leading the Bengals offense in any given matchup, Chase is a significant part of any championship aspirations in Cincinnati.