After what has been a slighly tumultuous offseason ride in the potential trade saga of Tee Higgins, alongside the departure of long time stalwart and fan favorite, Tyler Boyd, the Cincinnati Bengals are certainly looking for some continuity at the wide receiver position in 2024 and beyond.
An Offseason Of Change For The Cincinnati Bengals’ Receiving Corps
Although former 2019 undrafted free agent (UDFA), Trenton Irwin, made some positive contributions on offense in 2023, and now 2nd year receiver and return specialist, Charlie Jones, seems to have a potentially promising future ahead of him, they alone cannot hope to maintain the level of what has been the NFL’s premier receiving unit over the past few years.
Yet, Cincinnati doth fear not! As news has now broken that #1 receiver and quarterback, Joe Burrow’s favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, has had his 5th year option picked up by the Bengals, in what is certainly one of the less shocking moves of the offseason, per Albert Breer.
The Bengals have exercised WR Ja’Marr Chase’s fifth-year option. I imagine the conversation on doing that lasted about five seconds.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 24, 2024
Cincinnati Bengals Pick Up Ja’Marr Chase’s 5th Year Option
As Breer sardonically remarks, this cannot have been a difficult decision in the slightest.
Since being drafted 5th overall in 2021, to the delight of former teammate and current QB 1 Chase has put up back-to-back-to-back 1000 yard seasons, including in 2022, where he missed 5 games due to injury, and 2023, where Joe Burrow missed over 40% of the season with a torn wrist ligament.
In doing so, Chase has been voted to the Pro Bowl in all 3 years of his professional career, and been selected to the 2nd team All Pro in 2021. Quite the distinguished start to what could well end up being a Hall of Fame career for the former Tiger.
Wide Receivers Are Now Costing A Premium For NFL Franchises
Unlike the market for top offensive tackles and defensive lineman, which have always been amongst the best paid positions (after the quarterback), the cost of a signing or retaining a premier wide receiver has legitimately exploded over the past two years since the dual trades for Devante Adams and Tyreek Hill back in 2022.
Now, the cost for a bona fide WR1, like Chase, or his draft class mate, Amon-Ra St Brown, is now at $30 million per season, and is set to increase with the deals for CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson and, of couse, Chase himself, likely to reset the market.
So, for now, the Bengals’ decision whether or not to lock down their fiercest skill player for less than $22 million, keeping Ja’Marr Chase under contract through 2025, is without doubt a no brainer.
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