Injured Cincinnati Bengals extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) walks to the locker room at halftime of the NFL 16 recreation between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. The Steelers led 24-0 at halftime. credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK The Cincinnati Bengals had been unable to succeed in an extension with extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase earlier than Week 1 of the NFL season kicked off.
And Stephen A. Smith is now praying for the downfall of the Bengals.
“I hope that the Cincinnati Bengals fall flat on their rattling face,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s First Take. “That group makes me sick.”
The Bengals drafted Chase with the No. 5 general choice within the 2021 NFL Draft. At simply 24 years previous, he’s already cemented himself as probably the greatest receivers within the NFL and is trying to safe a large pay day. He practiced from time to time for the Bengals all through this preseason as he negotiated a brand new deal.
Beneath Mike Brown’s possession, the Bengals haven’t precisely been frivolous spenders, even with their very own gamers. That they had no alternative however to offer quarterback Joe Burrow a five-year, $275 million extension earlier than final season.
“He was thought-about the rattling Donald Sterling of the NFL,” Smith mentioned of Brown’s possession. “You get a man like Joe Burrow in your squad… You pay him his cash, however then go and provides an issue to the folks that he makes use of as his main weapons.”
Burrow’s contract was an indicator to many who the Bengals had been able to go all in for a Tremendous Bowl ring.
With Chase’s ascension into probably the greatest receivers within the NFL, paired subsequent to fellow extensive receiver Tee Higgins, the Bengals offense figured to be unstoppable on paper for years to come back.
However following this season, Higgins will probably be an unrestricted free agent after the Bengals couldn’t work out a long-term cope with him. Certainly, one other group will probably be prepared to pony up big-time money for the Clemson product, who continues to be simply 25 years previous and could possibly be a No. 1 receiving possibility.
The identical factor is unfolding with Chase in actual time. And Smith known as it out on nationwide tv.
There’s little doubt that Chase is already one of many NFL’s greatest extensive receivers. Certain, he technically nonetheless has two extra seasons left on his rookie contract. However that’s not how the NFL works. It’s important to give considered one of your greatest gamers an opportunity to have some sense of safety.
To not point out, it virtually feels just like the Bengals will find yourself dropping Higgins this offseason as a group will probably be prepared to pay him as a real No. 1 possibility. That makes Chase much more worthwhile.
Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, Charlie Jones and Trenton Irwin are the one different receivers on Cincinnati’s roster. The Bengals higher get this sorted out.
