Injured Cincinnati Bengals large receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) walks to the locker room at halftime of the NFL 16 recreation between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. The Steelers led 24-0 at halftime. credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK The Cincinnati Bengals had been unable to achieve an extension with large receiver Ja’Marr Chase earlier than Week 1 of the NFL season kicked off.
And Stephen A. Smith is now praying for the downfall of the Bengals.
“I hope that the Cincinnati Bengals fall flat on their rattling face,” Smith stated on ESPN’s First Take. “That group makes me sick.”
The Bengals drafted Chase with the No. 5 general choice within the 2021 NFL Draft. At simply 24 years outdated, he’s already cemented himself as top-of-the-line receivers within the NFL and is trying to safe a large pay day. He practiced now and again for the Bengals all through this preseason as he negotiated a brand new deal.
Below Mike Brown’s possession, the Bengals haven’t precisely been frivolous spenders, even with their very own gamers. That they had no alternative however to provide quarterback Joe Burrow a five-year, $275 million extension earlier than final season.
“He was thought-about the rattling Donald Sterling of the NFL,” Smith stated of Brown’s possession. “You get a man like Joe Burrow in your squad… You pay him his cash, however then go and provides an issue to the those who he makes use of as his major weapons.”
Burrow’s contract was an indicator to many who the Bengals had been able to go all in for a Tremendous Bowl ring.
With Chase’s ascension into top-of-the-line receivers within the NFL, paired subsequent to fellow large receiver Tee Higgins, the Bengals offense figured to be unstoppable on paper for years to return.
However following this season, Higgins can be an unrestricted free agent after the Bengals couldn’t work out a long-term cope with him. Certainly, one other group can be prepared to pony up big-time money for the Clemson product, who continues to be simply 25 years outdated and may very well be a No. 1 receiving choice.
The identical factor is unfolding with Chase in actual time. And Smith known as it out on nationwide tv.
There’s little doubt that Chase is already one of many NFL’s finest large receivers. Positive, he technically nonetheless has two extra seasons left on his rookie contract. However that’s not how the NFL works. It’s important to give considered one of your finest gamers an opportunity to have some sense of safety.
To not point out, it virtually feels just like the Bengals will find yourself shedding Higgins this offseason as a workforce can be prepared to pay him as a real No. 1 choice. That makes Chase much more invaluable.
Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, Charlie Jones and Trenton Irwin are the one different receivers on Cincinnati’s roster. The Bengals higher get this sorted out.