Ja'Marr Chase Returns to Bengals Practice After Long Contract Holdout

Chase is back without a new contract in hand.

Ja'Marr Chase is back and just in time for the season.

The Cincinnati Bengals' star wide receiver returned to practice on Wednesday after spending most of the offseason holding out for a new contract. Chase missed all of training camp while angling for a new deal, and briefly returned to practice last week before exiting again. He's back again, just in time to prepare for his team's Week 1 clash with the New England Patriots.

Ja’Marr Chase. In uniform. Heading out to practice. pic.twitter.com/SFDgHDrF7u

— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 4, 2024

Chase has been one of the NFL's best receivers since entering the league as the No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 while earning second-team All-Pro honors. He has reached the Pro Bowl in all three of his professional seasons, and in that time has become increasingly dominant, topping 1,000 yards each year.

In 2023, Chase hauled in a career-high 100 receptions for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. That came despite starting quarterback Joe Burrow only playing 10 games.

The 24-year-old wideout has had to sit by and watch as peers like the Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles' A.J. Brown, Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, San Francisco 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk, and Dallas Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb have all received big contract extensions this offseason.

Chase's time is almost certainly coming, but he has returned to practice without a deal in hand ahead of Sunday's season opener.