Here's What Ja'Marr Chase's Contract Extension With Bengals Could Look Like

CINCINNATI — Justin Jefferson got paid. Ja'Marr Chase isn't far behind.

The Bengals are going to pay Chase. He's on his way to becoming one of the best players in franchise history. He's also one of the NFL's biggest stars.

The question isn't "if" they're going to sign the 24-year-old star wide-out to a long-term deal. It's simply a matter of "when?"

The Jefferson extension makes one thing clear: The Bengals are going to have to give Chase a significant amount of guaranteed money—the most they've ever given to a position player or anyone not named Joe Burrow.

Jefferson's deal is reportedly worth $140 million with $110 million guaranteed. The four-year extension keeps him under contract through the 2028 season.

Will Chase follow the same blueprint that Jefferson did with the Vikings? If so, then he won't sign a long-term extension this offseason. Jefferson and the Vikings waited until after his fourth NFL season to agree on an extension.

In an ideal world, the Bengals would be able to sign Chase to a four-year pact this offseason. It would keep him in Cincinnati for the next six years. It would also mean that Burrow and Chase would both be under contract through the 2029 season.

The Bengals star wide receiver would probably prefer to sign a three-year extension because it would put him in position to get a third contract before he turns 30-years-old. Meanwhile, the team would likely prefer to sign him to a four-year deal this offseason so they could spread out the cap hits over six seasons instead of five.

Chase could follow the Jefferson path and wait a year. Signing a four-year deal now would give the Bengals the most flexibility, but they would certainly have to sweeten the pot for the former Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Would a four-year, $150 million extension with $115 million guaranteed get it done? He gets the extra bump because that deal would put him under contract through 2029. In this scenario, the Bengals throw in another $10 million and some extra guaranteed money since Chase would be under contract for the next six seasons.

Chase could also follow the path that plenty of these young wide receivers have taken and sign a three-year extension this offseason.

A three-year, $105 million extension with $80 million guaranteed would keep him under contract for the next five seasons. It would also line up with Jaylen Waddle's contract, who was also a first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension with the Dolphins last week.

Chase would make $35 million per year in average annual salary, which would match Jefferson's deal and also be scheduled to hit the free agent market at 29-years-old.

Some major questions remain: Will the extension be a three or four-year deal? Is Chase willing to sign a four-year extension before the 2024 season? How high are the Bengals willing to go in guaranteed money? Will they completely break precedent like they did with Burrow to facilitate a deal?

The Waddle and Jefferson deals give the Bengals and Chase a blueprint to work with. We know what potential three and four-year extensions could look like. Now it's all about the Bengals and Chase's agent, Rocky Arceneaux of Alliance Sports Management, coming together to hammer out a structure that works for both parties.

It's reasonable to expect Chase and the Bengals to find common ground.

A deal should get done. When? That's a question that we won't have the answer to until Chase and the Bengals can come to an agreement.

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