With each passing week, the Cincinnati Bengals' decision not to pay Ja'Marr Chase this offseason looks worse. That trend continued on Monday night after Chase torched the Dallas Cowboys for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
After the game, quarterback Joe Burrow was asked by reporters about the star wide receiver's contract situation.
"He deserves all he's gonna get and more. Hopefully we can play together for as long as we're in this league," Burrow said of Chase.
Chase is in his fourth NFL season. He and the Bengals had been discussing a new contract this past offseason, but failed to reach an agreement. He's collecting a base salary of $1.055 million and carries a cap hit of $9.8 million. It's highly unlikely he'll be playing under his fifth-year option in 2025, and Burrow made clear he's hoping the team pays whatever it takes to keep Chase in town on a new long-term deal.
Across 13 games this year, Chase has a league-best 15 receiving touchdowns to go with 95 receptions and 1,319 yards. That type of production isn't possible to replace, and he and Burrow boast tremendous chemistry dating back to their days at LSU. They've spent their entire professional careers playing alongside each other, something Burrow is hoping will continue for the foreseeable future.
Of course, a lucrative deal for Chase could put into jeopardy the Bengals' chances of retaining Tee Higgins, who is due to hit free agency after the 2024 season. Burrow said he's "confident" the organization will find a way to bring Higgins back, in addition to giving Chase a new contract.