(Photo Credit: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Training camp is heating up for the Cincinnati Bengals, except one of their brightest burning stars isn’t there. But, that isn’t quite accurate. Ja’Marr Chase is there. He’s just not practicing. That is what we in 2024 call the “hold in,” as opposed to the much-more familiar “hold out.”
It’s a subtle – but important – difference. Chase might not be participating in practices or drills, but he isn’t away from the team either. He isn’t getting fined daily like the “holdouts” of old. At the very least, he’s getting mental reps, and he’s been mentoring some of the younger players, notably this year’s third-round pick Jermaine Burton. From the sound of it, he’s doing a pretty good job too. Receiver’s coach Troy Walters might want to watch his back…
Jokes aside, while it might appear on the surface that Chase’s “absence” from training camp is a major story that deserves massive attention, that isn’t really the case. Chase will be fine regardless, and the team could ultimately be better off specifically because Chase isn’t hogging most of the training camp reps. If there’s any concern at all, it probably isn’t for the reason you think.
Let’s start with the reason Chase is “holding in” in the first place. In short: he’s looking for a new contract. He also doesn't want to get injured (or fined). So, he holds in, threading the needle between stubborn defiance and outright capitulation. The Bengals, obviously, know where he stands.
Do not let yourself be fooled: the Bengals will sign Ja’Marr Chase to a long-term contract. Mike Brown did everything short of making a blood oath when he told reporters, “We are gonna bend over backwards to get it done.” It just might not happen this year, and that might mean Chase doesn’t start practicing until after the preseason. But again, it’s probably not something worth losing sleep over.
I’m sure if Brown had his way, Chase would already have a new contract, and from the sound of it, he’s more than willing to meet Chase at the highest levels of the wide receiver market. This isn’t a mirror of Tee Higgins’ situation. Mike Brown has barely said a peep about Higgins this offseason, despite the fifth-year receiver being placed on the team’s exclusive franchise tag. The silence speaks volumes about how the Bengals feel about Higgins’ future with the team, and at the same time, Brown’s willingness to speak so candidly about Chase should allay any fears that Chase will be playing anywhere but Cincinnati for the rest of the 2020s.
More than likely, it’s Chase’s side that’s holding up negotiations, and who could blame him? The wide receiver market is exploding. The Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown really kicked things off by grabbing a four-year, $120 million deal back in April, making him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, and less than two months later, the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson one-upped him with his own four-year, $140 million deal, becoming the highest-paid non-QB in the entire league. Chase – deservedly – is looking for a deal in Jefferson’s neighborhood, but he’s in no rush.
That’s because there are still two other receivers, the 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk and the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, who are looking for deals of their own. If Aiyuk or Lamb can secure a contract that exceeds Jefferson’s, Chase will be a very happy man. His own outstanding track record – and more importantly, his mind-meld connection with Joe Burrow – makes him arguably the most valuable receiver in the league. He could find himself the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB once he and the Bengals inevitably agree on a new deal. But, if Aiyuk and Lamb have to settle for something substantially less than Jefferson, Chase’s leverage gets weaker.
To sum it all up, there isn’t much urgency on Chase's side as long as Aiyuk and Lamb are unsigned as well. They’ll let the market play out, and sign when it’s most advantageous. The Bengals have already made it known that they have no intention of letting Chase walk. Eventually, Chase will have his contract, the only question will be where exactly his will rank amongst his peers.
So, there’s no need to fret about any bad blood between Chase and the Bengals. That’s not what this hold “in” is about. And yeah, it’s not ideal for Chase to be missing out on practice reps, but it’s not like he’s going to lose a step because of it. Chase is too talented, too physically-gifted, and has too much rapport with Burrow to fail.
Chase’s absence has also opened an opportunity for some of the Bengals’ younger receivers, like Burton and second-year receivers Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones, to work more with Burrow and the first-team. Throw in a handful of missed practices by Higgins as well, and you have a bunch of raw, talented receiving-projects getting hands-on instruction from one of the best QBs in the business. Mark my words: this will pay dividends by the end of the year.
Whenever Chase does fully return to practicing, he’ll also be helped by the fact that the Bengals offense didn’t change much over the offseason – this despite offensive coordinator Brian Callahan leaving to be the head coach of the Titans. Head coach Zac Taylor remains, and so does his offensive system and philosophy. In Callahan’s place, the Bengals promoted quarterback’s coach Dan Pitcher, who's been there every step of the way during Burrow’s and Chase’s careers. Whatever changes do occur in the offense, it will take a football-savant to spot them.
If there is one thing to worry about though, it’s that Chase’s absence in training camp could make him susceptible to a slow start. It’s all but guaranteed that Chase will end the season as one of the top receivers in football, but if he struggles early, the Bengals offense will be diminished. This is compounded by the fact that Higgins, who is still seeking a new contract of his own, has missed some training camp practices as well. The Bengals cannot afford another slow start to the season, and with three of their first four games coming against the Patriots, Commanders, and Panthers, anything less than a 3 - 1 start is unacceptable.
Even with a less-than-100% version of Chase and Higgins, though, the Bengals should still have plenty of firepower to beat all three. This is where these practice reps for the newbie receivers become all the more valuable. Burton, Iosivas, Jones, new tight end Mike Gesicki – even holdovers like Trenton Irwin – are all getting better and more familiar with their quarterback and each other. Chase’s “hold in” isn’t optimal, but it’s not a significant concern either. His contract will be inked (eventually), and he’ll (eventually) get back to practicing too. The band will be back together soon enough.
Comments