Will the Bengals be cheaper with Ja’Marr Chase? An NFL insider weighs in

The Cincinnati Bengals and Ja’Marr Chase are not discussing an in-season contract extension after the recent awkward standoff between the two teams.

That impasse, which carried over into the regular season, ended with Chase apparently feeling the Bengals misled him in conversations.

And now insiders like ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler are discussing back and forth how things could play out between the Bengals and Chase next offseason:

The league-wide consensus is that the Bengals were close to extending Chase’s contract through Week 1, but while the annual average of that contract offer was sufficient, the contract structure (guarantees) was not what he wanted. Now Chase is well-positioned to overcome Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million term and beyond. Will the Bengals comply? It seems like a given, but that’s still a high price to pay for a team considered financially responsible. The feeling here is that Cincinnati is releasing Tee Higgins as a free agent and devoting resources to Chase, a free agent in 2026. If not, expect Chase to be away from the team for a while.

Here’s the problem for the Bengals: Due to the nature of the market, Chase’s price was always going to go up next offseason. They knew that. But it doesn’t help that he’s flirting with a Triple Crown and his agent is openly celebrating how easy he makes the job for his representatives.

So yes, things could get messy between the Bengals and Chase after the season. The team could technically remain steadfast in how they want to structure the contract, adding the fifth year of Chase’s rookie deal, then a franchise tag, and perhaps even another after that.

But…Chase could also use his influence. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s a conversation that’s understandably making the rounds right now.