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The Cincinnati Bengals lost their third consecutive season-opening game on Sunday and superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was not happy about it.
Sure, Chase was upset that his team lost. But the LSU product seemed even more upset about the last of focus on him from the Bengals offense.
Cincinnati targeted Chase just six times. He caught all six passes for 62 yards. But after the game, Chase pointed the finger at head coach Zac Taylor when asked about his limited production.
Ja’Marr Chase reacts… Says “ask coaches” why only six targets. Says he had food poisoning Saturday. pic.twitter.com/PCOpuUSjMo
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) September 8, 2024
“You’ve gotta ask [head coach] Zac [Taylor],” Chase said when asked about his lack of targets after the 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots.
So, why didn’t Chase, one of the league’s undisputed top wideouts, not get more targets? Well, it could have to do with the fact that hasn’t been practicing with the Bengals for several weeks while working out a contract dispute.
Chase has two years remaining on his rookie contract after the Bengals picked up his fifth-year option. But he’s aiming for a new deal that would put him alongside Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb and former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson as the league’s top-paid wide receivers. Both Lamb and Jefferson received new contracts in the offseason. But both were also selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, one year before the Bengals took Jefferson with the No. 5 overall pick/
Jefferson will earn $9.8 million this season and nearly $22 million in 2025 if a new deal doesn’t happen.
“He and I always have conversations,” Taylor said of Chase two weeks ago. “He’s going to practice this week, and we’ll just keep taking it from there.”
Chase then proceeded to show up for Bengals practice but did not participate. So if he wants to know why he isn’t get targeted, the answer might well be very simple.
Meanwhile, fellow Bengals star wideout Tee Higgins missed the Week 1 matchup while dealing with a hamstring injury.