The Cincinnati Bengals will face the Chicago Bears on Saturday for preseason Week 2 action. This follows the incomplete joint practice that had to be held off due to heavy rainfall in Lake Forest.
After Ja’Marr Chase missed training camp on Tuesday, there was plenty of chatter around his contract drama with the Bengals, leaving fans confused about his availability for the rest of the preseason games.
Will Chase play this week?
Is Ja’Marr Chase Playing in Preseason Week 2 vs. the Bears?
After not attending training camp on Tuesday, the former LSU star was seen traveling with the team to Chicago ahead of the Bengals’ second preseason game. Cincinnati will play the Bears at Soldier Field, a short trip from the training facility in Lake Forest.
The Bears plan on playing their starters, including rookie Caleb Williams, during their matchup. However, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he’s “anticipating” not playing his starters, including Chase.
This approach is not alien to fans, as many NFL coaches choose to save their players’ health and avoid injuries roughly three weeks before the regular season.
Taylor will be extra cautious heading into the matchup after he lost two players, RB Chris Evans and offensive lineman D’Ante Smith, to serious injuries during the joint practice against the Bears. Both players were carted off the field.
The Bengals’ uber-talented wideout is in the middle of contract negotiations with the Bengals and has decided not to participate in practice sessions with the team until he receives an extension.
Chase is under contract for 2024 and 2025 after the Bengals exercised the fifth-year option that guarantees him $21.8 million in 2025. The two sides have been negotiating a possible extension, but Chase is unhappy with the lack of progress.
MORE: What Changed In the Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase Saga to Prompt His Absence?
Taylor recently weighed in on Chase’s contract situation and said that it is a “day-to-day” process with the former LSU star, but he refrained from making any more comments.
Quarterback Joe Burrow also chimed in, offering support for Chase.
“I went through (contract negotiations) last year, so I kind of have some insight into how these things kind of go. So we’ve been creating a dialogue and talking through certain things, obviously,” Burrow told PFN’s Jay Morrison. “His business is his business. But I’ve been able to give some insight into how my process was because I think it’s pretty similar.”
After the July 22 practice, Bengals owner Mike Brown spoke about the franchise’s effort to retain the star player, stating that Chase is “a key player next to Joe Burrow.”
Brown further said that Chase knows he’s an important player for the team, which is why the Bengals will “bend over backward” to make the deal happen.
