ESPN's Jeremy Fowler Names Ja'Marr Chase's Contract Talks as NFL's Top Looming Offseason Decision

[Arkansas Bengal]

It's malpractice that a deal wasn't inked ahead of a monstrous prove-it season.

Russ Heltman | 2 Hours Ago

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrate a Higgins touchdown in the third quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers won 34-27. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

 

 

CINCINNATI — ESPN's Jeremy Fowler named Ja'Marr Chase's contract negotiations as the top looming offseason decision for any team in 2025.

 

Cincinnati flubbed the negotiations this past summer, reportedly over guarantee structuring. And now are guaranteed to pay a higher price tag to keep him long term. Chase has more than earned status as the league's highest-paid wide receiver.

 

"Will the Bengals pay Ja'Marr Chase?" Fowler wrote. "They absolutely should. Chase is making a compelling argument as the league's best receiver, chasing the triple crown with 73 catches for 1,056 yards and 12 touchdowns. Though Justin Jefferson has been the consensus top receiver over the past two years, many scouts and coaches believe Chase strikes more fear in opponents because of his big-play ability. He's validating that belief, which means the price tag only goes up.

 

"The belief leaguewide is, yes, the Bengals did get close to extending Chase's contract leading up to Week 1, but while the per-year annual average on that contract offer was sufficient, the structure of the deal (guarantees) was not what he wanted. Now Chase is well-positioned to clear Jefferson's four-year, $140 million bar and then some. Will the Bengals oblige? It seems like a no-brainer, but that's still a hefty price tag for a team considered fiscally responsible. The feeling here is Cincinnati lets Tee Higgins walk in free agency and allocates resources for Chase, a 2026 free agent. If not, expect Chase to stay far away from the team for a while."

 

The Bengals, like with so many contract choices this decade and beyond (D.J. Reader, Jessie Bates III, Andrew Whitworth, and Kevin Zeitler to name a few), did not bet correctly in this negotiation and now will pay handsomely for it, or let another elite player walk after their rookie deal.

 

A wheel of madness that Cincinnati has to stop spinning if it ever wants to field a Super Bowl-winning team with Joe Burrow leading the way.

 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/espn-s-jeremy-fowler-names-ja-marr-chase-s-contract-talks-as-nfl-s-top-looming-offseason-decision-01jd4twrz782

[Jamie_B]

Today's price isn't yesterday's price.

 

Should have gotten it done this past offseason.

[A Rock]

I like "wheel of madness" better than "fiscally responsible" as a description of their dealings with elite talent. LOL

[|High School Harry|]

Pay the man

 

Or pay the consequences.

[T-Dub]

7 hours ago, High School Harry said:

Pay the man

 

Or pay the consequences.

 

What consequences would those be?

[|High School Harry|]

11 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

What consequences would those be?

Ja'Marr the Steeler or Rat

[New Jersey Bengal]

They know they need to sign him if they do not they will lose a major part of the fan base 

[Jamie_B]

I don't doubt this gets done, but it should have gotten done in the offseason, when his price would have been cheaper.

[CincyInDC]

16 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

I don't doubt this gets done

 

I sure as shit have my doubts.

[claptonrocks]

13 minutes ago, CincyInDC said:

 

I sure as shit have my doubts.

Doubts maybe 

If you get let Chase walk then well see a side if Burrow never seen before

Hed be right to want outta here as well.

They'll sign Chase due to JB and the fan base..

[claptonrocks]

15 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

What consequences would those be?

A team that won't have winning seasons without him.

Jeez H.  sign the superstar .

 

 

[T-Dub]

5 hours ago, High School Harry said:

Ja'Marr the Steeler or Rat

 

How does this negatively affect the Brown/Blackburn/Hyphens Family Trust?  If they can't keep pace with the salary cap and the trend towards guaranteed contracts, at what point are they willing to "live off the interest", so to speak?  They don't have oil money or control of some megacorp to keep them in luxury indefinitely.  Nepotism is an exponential problem for a family business.

 

At some point they must have a budget they won't exceed.  They can't afford to gamble like other teams.

[-GoBengals-]

On 11/20/2024 at 10:37 AM, Jamie_B said:

Today's price isn't yesterday's price.

 

Should have gotten it done this past offseason.

it 100% is because yesterdays price was next weeks fucking price...

 

 

[MichaelWeston]

They were always going to pay him this offseason. Just like the Vikings did. This is a nothing story. 

 

What is likely to happen is that they Tag Tee and trade him so they won't re-up Jamarr until later. 

[MichaelWeston]

Can you name a top player the Bengals weren't willing to re-sign?

 

Bates wasn't playing great and wasn't at a position they thought was important. I think that was wrong but the bengals have always been happy to pay their WRs and QBs. 

[|High School Harry|]

1 minute ago, MichaelWeston said:

Can you name a top player the Bengals weren't willing to re-sign?

 

Bates wasn't playing great and wasn't at a position they thought was important. I think that was wrong but the bengals have always been happy to pay their WRs and QBs. 

Whit?

[Dautcom08]

46 minutes ago, High School Harry said:

Whit?

 

Whit signed 3 contracts with the Bengals after his rookie deal. 

 

The Bengals fallacy in this example was a succession plan with crap talent coupled with believing his play would decline entering his 36 year old season and not believing he would play until 40.

[MichaelWeston]

1 hour ago, High School Harry said:

Whit?

He was perceived as being old and over the hill. 

 

We treat our players much better than most. 

[|BlackJesus|]

[I_C_Deadpeople]

21 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

How does this negatively affect the Brown/Blackburn/Hyphens Family Trust?  If they can't keep pace with the salary cap and the trend towards guaranteed contracts, at what point are they willing to "live off the interest", so to speak?  They don't have oil money or control of some megacorp to keep them in luxury indefinitely.  Nepotism is an exponential problem for a family business.

 

At some point they must have a budget they won't exceed.  They can't afford to gamble like other teams.

Its not gambling in the sense that no matter how much you pay - be it guaranteed or not - it all comes off the cap at some point and the the league keeps feeding teams money. The revenue stream is GUARANTEED. The amount varies per year but it is guaranteed. Maybe somewhere down the line they sell off a minority piece like Davis just did (Raiders) but that is of no consequence. The revenues are come in so there is no gambling so to speak. With all long term contrcats the team is gambling on health, prodcution and good citizenship. But again, it does not matter in the sense that whatever you pay out it comes off the cap spend. So if we 'gamble' and pay Chase and he has a career ending injury then our cap left for others is reduced. 

The team HAS TO have contract structures that are consistent with the rest of the league. And when you have players like Joe, Chase and Trey - the best of the best - you have to have the best contracts. Period. 

 

[sparky151]

Chase has earned a new contract that exceeds Jefferson's. He'll be the highest paid non-QB in the league. That won't be what prevents the team from winning more regular season and playoff games next year. It will be underperformance by coaches and other players than Chase, Burrow, and Hendrickson. If Murphy had proven to be a good NFL pass rusher, ie a guy who can get 10 sacks per year, then we'd have a much better record this year. It was a dumb pick at the time since he was taken as the heir to Trey but would spend half his rookie deal behind him on the depth chart. It's even worse that he can't beat out Hubbard or Ossai for snaps at LDE. We should have taken advantage of the Titans when they were hot for Levis.