Bengals prepared to 'bend over backwards' for Chase extension

The Cincinnati Bengals are willing to pull out all the stops when it comes to negotiating a contract extension for star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

"We are going to bend over backwards to get it done. I can't tell you when though," Bengals owner Mike Brown said Monday, per Sports Illustrated's James Rapien.

"Our intention is to keep Ja'Marr Chase," Brown affirmed, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway.

Director of player personnel Duke Tobin confirmed that the organization had preliminary discussions about an extension for Chase, Sports Illustrated's Russ Heltman reports.

Chase could be in line for a record-setting deal after establishing himself among the league's most productive wideouts in his first three seasons. He's under contract with the Bengals through the 2025 season after the team picked up the fifth-year option in his rookie contract.

Chase earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of his first three seasons in Cincinnati after being the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 draft. The 6-foot, 201-pound receiver recorded 100 catches for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 despite starting quarterback Joe Burrow missing the final seven games of the season.

The 2021 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year could strike a deal similar to the one former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson got. Jefferson signed a four-year, $140-million contract with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason.

Talks about a Chase extension come after the Bengals couldn't agree to terms with wideout Tee Higgins. The Clemson product is set to become a free agent in 2025 after the club placed the franchise tag on him for this coming season.

Brown also said he's optimistic about extending kicker Evan McPherson as he enters a contract year.