Ja'Marr Chase's Remaining Contract with the Cincinnati Bengals
By Jason Bolton July 22, 2024 03:58
The Cincinnati Bengals used the 5th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft to take wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Fresh off his award as the nation's top receiver at LSU, Chase signed a 4-year rookie deal worth $30.8 million with the Bengals. The deal consisted of a $19.8 million signing bonus and $30.8 total guarantees, extending him to the 2025 season.
Typical NFL Player Contracts
In the NFL, when a first-round draft pick gets picked up, they usually have 4-year deals with an extra option of a fifth year. This system gives the drafting team controlled-cost access to that player for the first 4-5 years of their career. Without an option for unrestricted free agency, players begin negotiating a contract extension after the end of their rookie deal.
The contract extensions to veteran players may vary in length and structure but are usually between 3-4 years. As is the case every year, top performers at positions like quarterbacks, edge rushers, and wide receivers tend to draw in some of the richest contracts with significant guarantees.
Implications for the Bengals
Naturally, signing Ja'Marr Chase to an extension will greatly affect how the Bengals manage their roster and plan for a salary cap future. Paying serious money to their best wideout will hamper efforts to do the same in places like a quarterback, keeping talent of Joe Burrow's fate, potentially Tee Higgins, and bolstering the O-line.
But the Bengals need to eat up stars when they offer big contracts if Cincy hopes for long-term success with its offensive core. Burrow and Chase are already on display at the elite level of a quarterback-receiver duo; anything other than locking them in the long term would jeopardize the team's championship aspirations.
Ultimately, what happens with Ja'Marr Chase's contract will be a key part of deciding how things go for the Bengals. The top goal should be to keep their superstar receiver, even if that means making tough decisions elsewhere on the roster. If they navigate it correctly, the Bengals have a chance to put together an era of extended success that could end up being worth multiple Super Bowl rings with Burrow and Chase at the forefront.
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