NFL Rumors: Ja'Marr Chase Returns to Bengals Practice; No New Contract amid Talks

Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase practiced on Sunday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, ending his training camp hold-in while he seeks a long-term extension from the team.

The Bengals posted a photo of the receiver practicing on Sunday:

While the two sides have yet to agree to such a contract, Sunday's news ostensibly means that Chase won't miss any time during the regular season while negotiations continue.

Chase is expected to practice all week, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.

The Bengals have had quite the offseason when it comes to the wide receiver position.

The team opted to use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins rather than extending or trading him. The wideout responded by requesting a trade this offseason, the Bengals didn't grant it, the two sides didn't come to an agreement on an extension and Higgins ultimately relented, signing his tag in June.

"Obviously there wasn't no moves being made upstairs," he told reporters in July regarding that decision. "So I pretty much knew this [is] what it was and I was just like, 'I'm going to go ahead and just sign it and just kill all the noise and just get everybody off my back.'"

Team president Mike Brown said cap constraints prevented an extension from getting done.

"We really like Tee Higgins," he told reporters in July. "We would wish to sign him, but it has to be at a certain level to fit within the cap or it can't be done."

As for Chase, the superstar wideout is under contract for two more seasons, with the team picking up his fifth-year rookie option for 2025. That makes his situation a bit different from other disgruntled wideouts like Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb, who are each entering their final seasons under contract.

Chase hasn't been a full holdout as he seeks a lucrative extension, remaining with the team through training camp while doing some individual drills and walkthroughs, but Sunday was his first day as a full participant. At this point, it seems like both Higgins and Chase will enter the 2024 season with their long-term status in Cincinnati unresolved, though a Chase extension feels far more likely to eventually happen.