Football is back. NFL teams are opening up their OTAs, signaling the start of a new season. For the Cincinnati Bengals, 2025 will be crucial. Only a few seasons removed from a Super Bowl appearance, the franchise has been unable to replicate their success from that 2021 season, missing the playoffs last season with a 9-8 record. But things are different this time around.
Speaking to the media after a May 27 practice, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase answered many questions– before talking about how the Bengals can avoid a slow start to this season. For three straight years, the Bengals have started a season 0-2 or worse– forcing them to dig out of a big hole right out of the gate. Chase’s reasoning for the slow starts? The lack of playing time for the starters during the preseason.
Chase’s Comments
When reporters asked Chase about the correlation between the starters sitting for most of the preseason and the early season struggles, Chase was quick to confirm that that could be a likely reason.
“Sounds like we need to play in the preseason, huh?,” Chase said.
Since getting drafted by the Bengals in 2021, Chase has only seen preseason action in two seasons– both in very limited quantities. As a rookie, Chase played three plays during the final preseason contest while last season, him and the rest of the offensive starters played only in the first series of the preseason opener. During those games, Chase never really got the ball– except for one time during that 2021 preseason game when he dropped a screen pass. However, Bengals head coach, Zac Taylor, made it known that playing starters in the preseason is very likely this season if it means they are better prepared to come out firing right out of the gate.
“The one thing I do feel good about is playing our guys in the preseason,” Taylor said last week. “That’s always subject to change, depending on health and how things go with our team during training camp, but that’s one thing that we’ve openly talked about with our players, and I think will help us as we do it.”
Chase Eyes Another Big Season
2024 was arguably the best season of Chase’s young career, finishing with 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns– all league highs– and was the recipient of the Offensive Player of the Year Award. But what made his season more impressive was the fact that it all started with a contract dispute, something he believes affected his mindset at the beginning of the season.
“I could say I wasn’t mentally ready to be on the field,” Chase said. “I was in my own head. You know what I’m saying? I wanted to play, but I was in my own head.”
But Chase now has his future secured, signing a four-year, $161 million extension, and is focused solely on football where he hopes that another big season can lead to a postseason return for the Bengals.
“My biggest thing this year, going forward, is making the playoffs, man,” Chase said. “We got to get to the playoffs. That’s my first step, but [the] team goal is to win the division.”
