Ja'Marr Chase Contract Extension is 'A Priority for Us,' Bengals Exec Says

Cincinnati Bengals' director of personnel Duke Tobin offered an update on where the organization stands when it comes to extending superstar wideout Ja'Marr Chase.

"It's a priority for us," he told Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It's something we feel like there's a framework to work off of. Should be a pretty easy framework to work off of. Guys in his position have recently re-done contracts. We believe in Ja'Marr, he's very important to us. The other guys that have done contracts are very important to their teams. So, we believe there's a real framework to work off of. I would expect that we could come together on something that makes sense for both sides."

That "framework" ostensibly is a reference to the four-year, $140 million deal Justin Jefferson signed with the Minnesota Vikings ($110 million guaranteed) and the four-year, $136 million deal CeeDee Lamb signed with the Dallas Cowboys ($100 million guaranteed) last offseason.

Chase will likely seek to exceed both deals, however, after leading the NFL in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17) during the 2024 season. He was just the sixth player in the Super Bowl era to win the receiving triple crown and the first since Cooper Kupp accomplished the feat in 2021.

Oh, and he's only 24.

Chase will play the 2025 season on a $21.8 million fifth-year option, but extending him for the long term would be the best option for both player and team. The Bengals operated similarly with Joe Burrow in 2023, signing him to a five-year, $275 million extension as he was heading into his option year.

The Burrow extension and pending agreement with Chase may end up costing the Bengals Tee Higgins, who will hit free agency this offseason. Losing Higgins would be a major blow—he registered 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games this past season—but the Bengals will head into free agency with $49.9 million in cap space and major decisions about where to best utilize those resources.

Burrow, meanwhile, will have some role in the team's offseason plans. Tobin told Conway that he has already met with the quarterback for his review of the team's strategy:

Burrow has publicly supported the both Chase and Higgins getting new contracts, but it remains to be seen if his lobbying will alter the team's plans.

On the defensive side alone, the Bengals are either going to need to re-sign or replace defensive tackle B.J. Hill, edge-rusher Joseph Ossai, slot cornerback Mike Hilton and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, among others. Offensively, they'll need to make similar decisions on Higgins, tight end Mike Gesicki and offensive lineman Cody Ford.

Chase is going to get his extension and reset the wideout market, as he should. But it is going to absolutely impact how the Bengals approach the rest of free agency and the draft this offseason.