Ja'Marr Chase didn't practice once during training camp, despite attending all but one session.
The 24-year-old continues to "hold-in." He's entering his fourth season and is hoping to agree to an extension.
Richard Skinner of Local 12 shed light on what Chase could be looking for money wise during an appearance on ESPN 1530's Cincy 3:60.
"The number I've heard on Ja'Marr's group is four-years, maybe close to $160 million," Skinner said. "And 120-ish of that guaranteed."
That number is going to shock a lot of people, but it shouldn't. Chase has two years left on his contract. Why would he get more than the four-year, $140 million contract Justin Jefferson received from the Vikings?
Chase is under contract for the next two seasons. If the Bengals want him to make a four-year commitment on top of the two years, it's going to cost more than a three-year extension would.
Of course, Jefferson waited until after his fourth season to sign his extension, which means he's under contract for the next five years.
In June, I floated the idea of the Bengals offering Chase a four-year, $150 million extension with $115 million guaranteed.
If the Bengals signed Chase to a four-year, $150 million extension, it would actually be a six-year, $176.6 million contract. That means he would make just under $29 million per year on average. It would be a team friendly deal, even if it also means signing Chase to the most expensive extension for a wide receiver in NFL history.
The Bengals front office could and probably should make the decision to pay Chase a bit more than market value if he's willing to agree to a four-year extension that would keep him under contract through the 2029 season.
Listen to Tony Pike's entire interview with Skinner below:
