Ja’Marr Chase contract projection: Will Bengals outdo Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb deal?

The Cincinnati Bengals used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to reunite quarterback Joe Burrow with his former LSU teammate, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. With a pre-established chemistry, Burrow and Chase quickly established themselves as an elite quarterback-wide receiver tandem.

The Bengals offense already featured running back Joe Mixon and wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. The addition of Chase elevated Cincinnati into one of the most potent offensive attacks in the league.

With Burrow, Chase, and Higgins on rookie contracts, the Bengals were able to stack their roster with enough talent to make a deep postseason run in 2021. Cincinnati ultimately fell short against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, and the bills have come due before they could make another appearance.

Although Chase reported to the Bengals training camp to avoid fines, he did not participate in practices as he attempted to gain leverage for a long-term contract extension. He ended the "hold in" on Monday and returned to practice, but it's only a matter of time before Cincinnati has to pay their premier wideout.

This offseason has been defined by lucrative wide receiver contracts — 10 wide receivers have signed contracts worth at least $70 million since the end of the 2023 season. With his contemporaries cashing in, Chase is hoping to do the same.

CeeDee Lamb contract sets the framework for Ja'Marr Chase deal

The Minnesota Vikings made wide receiver Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a four-year, $140 million contract earlier this offseason, and the Dallas Cowboys made wide receiver CeeDee Lamb the second-highest-paid non-quarterback with a four-year, $136 million contract extension on Monday. Those contracts set the framework for Chase's deal. Jefferson and Lamb are both a year older than Chase, but all three wide receivers have put together comparable campaigns since entering the league.

Chase could likely secure a four-year, $138 million contract with more than $100 million in guaranteed money. That deal would place Chase in between Jefferson's $140 million contract and Lamb's $136 million contract, while providing the wide receiver with more guaranteed money.

Unlike Jefferson and Lamb, Chase hasn't played out the full length of his rookie contract, which could be used as leverage against him if he wants to sign a deal early. Chase, who became eligible for a contract extension this offseason, is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Bengals have already exercised a fully guaranteed $21.8 million fifth-year option for 2025, which will keep Chase under contract for at least the next two seasons.

Finding a way to pay Chase may be easier said than done, however. Higgins is also seeking a new contract, and the Bengals already signed Burrow to a five-year, $275 million contract extension last offseason.

Burrow has remained the highest-paid player in the NFL despite several lucrative quarterback contracts this offseason. Rostering the two highest-paid players in NFL history wouldn't be an ideal way to build a roster.

Just three years after their Super Bowl appearance, the Bengals offense already seems to be falling apart. Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans this offseason and Boyd signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

It didn't take long for Chase to adjust to the professional level. The dynamic wide receiver won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2021. Chase has already compiled 268 catches for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns. All three statistical categories rank in the top seven for wide receivers in the first three seasons of their career.