Ja'Marr Chase's Week 1 Status is 'Day to Day' amid Contract Rumors, Bengals HC Says

As the Cincinnati Bengals continue their preparations for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, not much has changed regarding the status of star receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the team still considers Chase to be "day to day" while he continues his holdout for a new contract.

After initially saying last week that Chase was expected to be involved with Cincinnati's preparations for the start of the 2024 season, Taylor was forced to backtrack on his comments after Chase showed up to Wednesday's practice wearing street clothes. Taylor admitted that he "spoke too quickly" and described Chase as "day to day."

The Bengals will open the 2024 campaign on Sunday at home against the New England Patriots, giving Chase less than a week to get acclimated after he sat out the entirety of training camp. When asked Monday if the 24-year-old is in game shape, Taylor responded, "It's impossible for me to say with 100% conviction but I feel good with the shape he's in."

Unlike the majority of the wide receivers who earned massive contracts this offseason, Chase has two years remaining on his rookie contract, which has likely played into Cincinnati's lack of urgency to give him a new deal. Still, the three-time Pro Bowler is hoping to take advantage of a booming market immediately instead of waiting until next offseason.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that "the two sides are in talks for a deal that would make him among the highest-paid receivers in the NFL or the highest-paid receiver," so perhaps Chase will get his wish of landing a significant payday before the 2024 season begins.